LONG AND SHORT TRIPS IN NONBREEDING BULLER'S ALBATROSSES: RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLONY ATTENDANCE AND BODY MASS

Abstract Foraging strategies of nonbreeding seabirds attending colonies remain virtually unknown. Here we report the results of a satellite telemetry study of nonbreeding Buller's Albatrosses (Thalassarche bulleri) from the Snares island group south of New Zealand in 2000–2001. Two 6- to 7-year-old prebreeding birds dispersed to Tasmania, Australia, from late May until at least late July. Six older birds (five prebreeding birds, one former breeding adult) all adopted a dual strategy of short trips (mean duration 1.3 days, mean foraging range 129 km) and long trips to southern New Zealand (9.6 days, 871 km) or Tasmania (22.0 days, 1918 km). Time allocation to short trips increased with age and experience (both sexes) and nest-site attendance (males), and decreased during the guard (when the chick is attended) and late postguard (chick left unattended) stages (females). Up to the guard stage, most birds present at their colony on consecutive days foraged overnight (mean foraging range 101 km). Nonbreeding b...