Inexperienced birds and breeding in the Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea)

SummaryAmong the Cory’s Shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) of Selvagem Grande (30°09′N, 15°52′W), the rates of temporary non breeding, change of mate and nest-site and breeding failure in inexperienced birds are out of proportion with the frequency of these birds in the breeding population. However, this frequency being low - 15 % over the last decade - the results at population scale are not much penalised and that inexperienced birds do not seem to be as much responsible for breeding malfunctions as one might be led to expect.