Energetics of Free-Ranging Seabirds

I have chosen to address three major areas in the energetics of free-ranging adult seabirds: basal metabolism, locomotion, and energy budgets. More information is available on basal metabolism than on the other major areas of this chapter, a reflection both of the type of information most often collected in the past and of the difficulties inherent in working with pelagic birds. Basal metabolism not only provides a baseline and starting point for a discussion on free-ranging energetics, but it also has certain interesting ecological correlates that may help elucidate the energetics of seabirds. One such correlate involves plumage color and has thermoregulatory implications (treated by Lustick in a separate chapter), especially for birds of low (warm) latitudes. Such other correlates of basal metabolism as climate and flight and foraging behaviors are also discussed; these correlates may suggest to readers possible avenues for future research.