Acoustic monitoring reveals a diel rhythm of an arctic seabird colony (little auk, Alle alle)

Bibliographic Details
Title: Acoustic monitoring reveals a diel rhythm of an arctic seabird colony (little auk, Alle alle)
Authors: Evgeny A. Podolskiy, Monica Ogawa, Jean-Baptiste Thiebot, Kasper L. Johansen, Anders Mosbech
Source: Communications Biology, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 1-9 (2024)
Publisher Information: Nature Portfolio, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Biology (General)
Subject Terms: Biology (General), QH301-705.5
More Details: Abstract The child-like question of why birds sing in the morning is difficult to answer, especially in polar regions. There, in summer animals live without the time constraints of daylight, and little is known about the rhythmicity of their routines. Moreover, in situ monitoring of animal behavior in remote areas is challenging and rare. Here, we use audio data from Greenland to show that a colony of a key Arctic-breeding seabird, the little auk (Alle alle), erupts with acoustic excitement at night in August, under the midnight sun. We demonstrate that the acoustic activity cycle is consistent with previous direct observations of the feeding and attendance patterns of the little auk. We interpret this pattern as reflecting their foraging activities, but further investigation on fledging and predators is needed. The study demonstrates that acoustic monitoring is a promising alternative to otherwise demanding manual observations of bird colonies in remote Arctic areas.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2399-3642
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2399-3642
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05954-8
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/7f79aea38c5244bc87ca5fe1e5277485
Accession Number: edsdoj.7f79aea38c5244bc87ca5fe1e5277485
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:23993642
DOI:10.1038/s42003-024-05954-8
Published in:Communications Biology
Language:English