An experimental study of social attraction in two species of storm-petrel by acoustic and olfactory cues

Published source details Buxton R.T. & Jones I.L. (2012) An experimental study of social attraction in two species of storm-petrel by acoustic and olfactory cues. The Condor, 114, 733-743.
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Summary

Use vocalisations to attract birds to safe areas

A replicated, controlled study in 2008–2009 in a coastal site on Amatignak Island, Alaska, USA (Buxton & Jones 2012) found that broadcasting calls of one or two petrel species was highly effective in attracting Leach’s storm petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa and fork-tailed storm-petrels Oceanodroma furcata to the island compared to no calls or only noise. Leach’s storm petrel captures were 41 times higher when their species calls were played (4–10 birds/night), 29 times higher on nights with both species calls (3–8 birds/night) and not significantly different on nights with fork-tailed storm petrel calls (<1 bird/night) compared to nights with other or no noise(<1 bird/night). Fork-tailed storm petrel captures were much lower (28–97 birds/year vs 228–346 Leach’s storm petrels/year) but captures were 20 times higher on nights when their calls were played and 5 times higher when colony calls of both species were played than on nights with other or no noise (see paper for details). Calls or other noise (a pop song) were broadcast for 15 nights in June–August 2008 and 25 nights in June–July 2009. Petrels were captured using mist nets and tagged. Introduced Arctic foxes Alopex lagopus were eradicted on Amatignak in 1991.

Use smells to attract birds to new sites

A replicated, randomized study in 2009 in a coastal site on Amatignak Island, Alaska, USA (Buxton & Jones 2012) found that using same-species scented material in a T-shaped maze did not significantly attract Leach’s storm petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa and fork-tailed storm petrels Oceanodroma furcata to artificial burrows – although the latter species did prefer scented material when “stressed” individuals were removed from the analysis.. After removing individuals that exhibited signs of stress from the analysis, fork-tailed storm petrels significantly preferred boxes with scented material (69% of the time). Leach’s storm petrels chose same-species scented boxes 41% of the time but this was not significantly different from chance. Petrels were captured using mist nets and placed in the T-maze after a short accommodation. Scented trials included paper towel saturated with petrel regurgitation material versus plain paper towel, paper towel collected by rubbing 3–5 birds versus plain paper towel and grass collected from a box with captured petrels in it versus fresh dry grass. The total number of captured petrels used in the study was not specified.