Strong winds kill Magellanic penguins in Magdalena Island, Chile.

GODOY, CLAUDIA; GARCÍA BORBOROGLU, PABLO; BOERSMA, DEE

Conferencia; 8va. International Penguin Conference; 2013

University of Bristol

One of the predictions of climate variability is the increase in the frequency and intensity of wind and rain storms in particular regions. The rain storms can be an important cause of egg and chick mortality. During December of 2010 to March of 2011 we determined the cause of death for penguins on Magdalena Island (52°55’S; 70°34’O), located in the Magellan Strait, Chile. The main causes of chick dead were starvation, predation, disease and storms but what was surprising was that most adults died from wind storms that buried them alive. Most adult mortality on land was from winds buried adults in their nest. We found 38 dead penguins in their nesting burrow. Of the penguins found dead, 76% were adults (45% males, 26% females, 0,5% unknown) and 24% were chicks. In six nests (N=28), both the adult and the chick were dead (21%). In another nest the adult was dead and it was incubating an egg and another adult was with a dying chick. From October 2011 to February of 2012 we checked a 4 ha plot when winds were more than 80km/h. The winds killed 5 adult penguins and killed another adult incubating 2 eggs. The strong winds in the areas without vegetation caused erosion and rapidly filled burrows with dirt and sand so penguins could not escape and died. Strong winds during the breeding season represent an important source of adult penguins mortality on Magdalena Island. An increase in wind strength in this currently windy region is likely another negative effect of climate variability in the survival of penguins.