Divergent foraging strategies during incubation of an unusually wide-ranging seabird, the Murphy’s petrel

Murphy's petrels exhibit two distinct foraging strategies during incubation, with one group traveling up to 4800 km around the South Pacific Gyre while another forages closer to home. Birds on longer trips gain more mass and encounter prey more frequently during directed movement, suggesting that in unproductive waters, covering larger areas increases foraging success. Analysis of long-term data reveals consistency in these strategies across years, with lighter birds benefiting from tailwinds and reduced competition. The study used GPS tracking and salt-water immersion loggers to differentiate between directed movement and area-restricted search behavior, providing insights into the adaptive foraging tactics of this wide-ranging seabird.

Clay, T. A., Oppel, S., Lavers, J. L., Phillips, R. A., & Brooke, M. d. L. (2018). Divergent foraging strategies during incubation of an unusually wide-ranging seabird, the Murphy’s petrel. Marine Biology, 166(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-018-3451-7