Beyond dive shape: the identification of fine-scale vertical movements reveal within-dive behavioural structure in a pursuit-diving seabird

A groundbreaking study on Skellig Michael, Ireland, reveals that Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) exhibit distinct behavioral patterns during dives, with fine-scale vertical movements—termed 'wiggles'—serving as proxies for prey-capture attempts. These wiggles were most frequent during ascent and bottom phases of dives, accounting for less than 10% of occurrences despite descent comprising 30.3% of dive time. This challenges traditional classifications of dive shape by highlighting the importance of surface foraging in pursuit-diving predators. The research employed a novel approach combining broken-stick segmentation with wiggle detection to quantify prey-capture attempts, offering a transferable framework for studying diving behaviors across species. This method enhances the interpretation of time-depth recorder (TDR) data and provides deeper insights into the energetic trade-offs and foraging strategies of marine predators.

Dedieu, A., Jessopp, M., & Cox, S. L. (2026). Beyond dive shape: the identification of fine-scale vertical movements reveal within-dive behavioural structure in a pursuit-diving seabird. Marine Biology, 173(8). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-026-04878-7