Gadfly petrels use knowledge of the windscape, not memorized foraging patches, to optimize foraging trips on ocean-wide scales.

ABSTRACT: Seabirds must often travel vast distances to exploit heterogeneously distributed oceanic resources, but how routes and destinations of foraging trips are optimized remains poorly understood. Among the seabirds, gadfly petrels (Pterodroma spp.) are supremely adapted for making efficient use of wind energy in dynamic soaring flight. We used GPS tracking data to investigate the role of wind in the flight behaviour and foraging strategy of the Desertas petrel, Pterodroma deserta. We found that rather than visiting foraging hotspots, Desertas petrels maximize prey encounter by covering some of the longest distances known in any animal in a single foraging trip (up to 12 000 km) over deep, pelagic waters. Petrels flew with consistent crosswind (relative wind angle 60°), close to th

SUBMITTER: Ventura F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7003469 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature