The Abundance, Distribution, and Interaction of Rhinoceros Auklets, Cerorhinca monocerata and Gulls, Laridae In San Juan Channel, WA

Abstract

Rhinoceros Auklets and gulls use the San Juan Channel as foraging grounds. They have shown complementary roles in feeding activity; a kleptoparasitism interaction. Few studies have characterized the Rhinoceros Auklets and gulls community distribution over the summer. Therefore, investigating the short-term variation in gulls and Rhinoceros Auklets abundance during the summer is important because it can help us understand the complete and present ecology. To determine the distribution of abundance of these seabirds, I performed standard strip-transect methods and analyzed tidal direction. In addition, we used past season data to determine a definitive pattern in abundance. The R2 value provided by the line of regression was used to determine the anklets-gull relationship. Here we report and discuss the patterns in distribution and abundance across the San Juan Channel. A definite pattern for Anklets-gull relationship was not attained due to the low abundance of gulls throughout the channel.