• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2014

During incubation, pelagic seabirds undergo large variations in their body mass as a result of concomitant fasting. In Procellariifomes undergoing important changes in body mass through the incubation, body mass regulation could be an important factor in behavioural decisions for changing activities during the incubation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of individuals' quality and incubation behaviour on their body mass regulation in Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas breeding at Sasudo Island, in Jeju, South Korea during incubation period, June to August in 2013. In our results, we found that there was no relationship between the daily body mass loss and body size or condition of Streaked Shearwaters. However, the daily body mass loss increased significantly as the incubation bout increased. Moreover, the daily incubation bout was positively related to their body size. Consequently, although breeders' qualities were not related to their daily body mass loss during the incubation, the incubation behaviour affecting their daily body mass loss was regulated by their body size. Therefore, the body size of Streaked Shearwater breeders is one of important factors in their decisions for the incubation behaviour.