Public Information Affects Breeding Dispersal In A Colonial Bird: Kittiwakes Cue On Neighbours

Recent studies suggested that individuals may use the reproductive performance of conspecifics as a source of public information on breeding patch quality, but experimental evidence is still limited for species breeding in colonies, such as seabirds.

Using an experimental approach in a natural population of Black-legged kittiwakes, we found that the behaviour of individuals was strongly affected by the performance of their neighbours: individuals used information conveyed by conspecifics to make decisions relative to breeding site selection.

This process can amplify the response of populations to environmental change and may have contributed to the evolution of colonial breeding.


Royal Society journal Biology Letters


Biology Letters publishes short, innovative and cutting-edge research articles and opinion pieces accessible to scientists from across the biological sciences. The journal is characterised by stringent peer-review, rapid publication and broad dissemination of succinct high-quality research communications.


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