REACTIONS OF SOME SEABIRDS TO A SHIP IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN

Abstract

SUMMARY Griffiths, A. M. 1982. Reactions of some seabirds to a ship in the Southern Ocean. Ostrich 53:228-235. The reactions of 31 species of seabirds (mainly Procellariiformes) to a moving and a stationary ship were investigated in the Southern Ocean. Birds were categorized according to the distance at which they were seen from the moving ship. The proportions of individuals of each species following the ship, as opposed to flying past it, were calculated. Few species allow accurate censuses of their abundance. The time spent following by individual birds is discussed with respect to “turn-over rates” of ship-following species. Species strongly attracted to the ship were scavengers. Food is believed to be the prime factor influencing the attraction of seabirds to ships, although albatrossesMayhave followed to use air currents generated by the ship. Within an hour of the ship stopping most species had increased in abundance. The implications of assessing avian abundance and biomass from a stationary ship are discussed.