Effects of Colony Disturbance on Reproductive Success and Nest Defense Behaviors in Caribbean Roseate Terns

Abstract

Abstract. Heterospecific disturbance in seabird colonies can negatively influence reproductive success both through direct effects, such as predation, and through indirect effects, such as increasing parental energy expenditure via defense behaviors. Here, remote nest cameras were used to evaluate the effects of intrusion on early nest survival and predation risk in Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) colonies in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Effects of colony traits such as colony size on parental nest defense were also investigated to assess individual response to predator presence in colonies. We counted 141 intrusion events at 118 nests and found that frequency of heterospecific disturbance did not influence nest survival, but did have a positive association with predation rate. Disturbance decreased significantly with colony size and % cover, and disturbance increased with nest density, indicating that concealed, isolated nests within large colonies were less likely to be disturbed. Parental nest defense decreased significantly with colony size and nest density. Results were likely driven by the dominant predator types in our system—large predatory birds and invasive rats—as parents were more likely to leave nests with intrusion from these predator types.