Effects of Patagial Tags on Laying Date and Egg Size in Common Eiders
- 1 April 1990
- journal article
- research article
- Published by JSTOR in The Journal of Wildlife Management
- Vol. 54 (2) , 216-218
- https://doi.org/10.2307/3809032
Abstract
We examined the effects of patagial tags on common eiders (Somateria mollissima) by comparing laying date, clutch size, and egg size of the same females in 2 breeding seasons, before tagging (1987) and after the birds had carried tags for 1 year (1988). Similar data were obtained from unmarked birds used as controls in both years. Clutch size of tagged birds did not differ from controls (P > 0.05), but tagged birds laid eggs later (P < 0.001) and produced smaller eggs (P < 0.05) in 1988 than in 1987. The egg size of control females was larger (P < 0.001) during 1988. We suggest that patagial tags affect a female's ability to accumulate body reserves before breeding by decreasing feeding time, increasing preening activity, and/or increasing energy costs of diving.This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Crèche Formation in the Common EiderThe Auk, 1977