Shy albatross are more likely to get divorced

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-09-14 09:01

International

The wandering albatross usually mates for life but – just like humans – if things don't work out couples will go their separate ways. Researchers found shyer, more easily disturbed, male albatrosses had higher ‘divorce rates’ than bolder males – however, the same wasn't true for females. The authors suggest this may be due to shyer males choosing to avoid territorial aggression when other male competitors intrude.

Media release

From: The Royal Society

Shy albatross males have higher divorce rates. Researchers measured boldness in a population of wandering albatross, a bird that mates for life, by recording responses of nest-incubating individuals when approached. Shyer, more easily disturbed, males had higher ‘divorce rates’ than bolder males. This relationship was not found in females, which may have access to mates regardless of personality, while males may flee to avoid territorial aggression from competitors.

Journal/
conference: Biology Letters

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, US; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US; University of Liverpool, UK; CNRS-La Rochelle University, France

Funder: This work was supported by NSF (grant nos. NSF-OPP 1840058 and NSF GEO-NERC 1951500)

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