1992/04/01 by Henri Weimerskirch, H. WEIMERSKIRCH, J. C. STAHL +3 · 202 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Annual cycle #Avian ecology and behavior #Biology #Demography #Ecology #Marine and coastal plant biology #Moulting #Population #Predation #Seasonal breeder #Species Distribution and Climate Change #Zoology
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1992.tb08387.x
published in Ibis 134(2), 107-117 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 1992/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Among King Penguins Aptenodytes patagonica at Possession Island, one of the Crozet Islands, the length of the moult period, pre‐laying period, incubating and brooding shifts were highly variable according to the year and to the stage of the breeding season. The moulting period was shorter in late breeders than in early breeders. Only half of the birds which successfully reared a chick bred the following cycle, but late in the season. Almost all these late breeders were unsuccessful. The reasons for the high variability in the breeding pattern observed in this species between years, as well as between colonies and between individuals are discussed. Breeding success was on average 30.6% and survival during the first year at sea could reach 50%. The survival of adult birds has increased during the past 10 years from 90.7% to 95.2% per annum. Despite an almost biennial breeding frequency and a very high rate of chick loss during the winter fast, the King Penguin population of Possession Island has doubled between 1966 and 1985 due to a high survival rate of adult and immature birds. The increase during the last decade in adult survival and in adult and chick condition suggests that the population increase could be the result of an improvement in food availability.