Activity Budgets of Foraging Gray-Headed Albatrosses

Abstract

Activity recorders were attached to 13 Gray-headed Albatrosses (Diomedea chrysostoma) rearing chicks at South Georgia in February 1982. During foraging trips to sea totalling 284 bird-days, an average of 74% of the time was spent flying, and 15% of the day and 50% of the night were spent on the sea. The extensive nocturnal activity on the water strongly supports suggestions that the species feeds mainly at night. Using activity budget data with field data on foraging trip length and flight speeds and patterns, maximum foraging range is estimated to be 500-800 km.