Doi: https://doi.org/10.13157/arla.72.2.2025.sc1
Authors: Ana SANZ-AGUILAR, Andreu ROTGER, Margalida CASTELL and Francesco BONADONNA
E-mail: ana.sanz@uib.es
Published: Volume 72.2, July 2025. Pages 279-288.
Language: English
Keywords: conservation, Hydrobates pelagicus, introduced alien predators, olfaction, predators and seabirds
Summary:
Seabirds in general, and petrels in particular, are the subject of multiple conservation concerns. Invasive alien predators are their main threat at breeding colonies. Rats are the most common predators on islands where they jeopardise reproduction and even adult survival of the smaller seabird species. We hypothesised that colonisation of Mediterranean Islands by Black Rats Rattus rattus 2000 years ago could have led to highly susceptible seabirds, such as European Storm Petrels Hydrobates pelagicus, to become adapted to avoid rat infested areas. Given the extraordinary sense of smell of petrels, rat avoidance could be mediated by olfactory cues. To test this hypothesis, we used a y-maze experiment in which 56 breeding birds were tested to choose between odour-free and rat odour options. Only 20 birds made a choice, and their choice was random, suggesting that European Storm Petrels do not recognise/avoid the Black Rats odour. This result is important for conservation and has implications for restoration programmes on islands where Storm Petrels are not currently present.
