We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
NOCTURNAL COPULATION IN GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS LARUS GLAUCESCENS.
- Authors
HAYES, FLOYD E.; HAYWARD, JAMES L.
- Abstract
Gulls (Laridae) are primarily diurnal, although many species forage opportunistically at night, and several species copulate at night. We used trail cameras to study time-of-day variation in the rate of copulation by Glaucous-winged Gulls Larus glaucescens in a breeding colony (1500+ pairs) at Protection Island, Washington, USA, from 31 May to 07 June 2018. Copulations (n = 353) occurred at a significantly higher rate during the day (0.82/camera-h) than at night (0.51/camera-h), with 76.3% of copulations during the day and 23.7% at night (daylight comprised 66.1% and darkness comprised 33.9% of the study period). The copulation rate peaked shortly before and after dawn, with a second peak before sunset. Copulation rate was lowest during the middle of the day and middle of the night. Glaucous-winged Gulls sleep intermittently during both day and night and have sufficient energy to sustain sporadic copulations during the night, which appears to be a normal part of their reproductive behavior. The most likely advantage of this pattern is an increased opportunity for fertilization with a mate.
- Subjects
PROTECTION Island (Wash.); GULLS; ANIMAL sexual behavior; BIRD behavior; NOCTURNAL birds; SCOUTING cameras; DAYLIGHT
- Publication
Marine Ornithology, 2020, Vol 48, Issue 1, p55
- ISSN
1018-3337
- Publication type
Article