Territorial display of black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) at their Arctic breeding colony in Svalbard, shortly after returning from wintering areas in the North Atlantic. Squawking and squabbling are part of the social interactions involved in defending newly acquired nesting sites. Our research shows that although energy expenditure varies greatly across the population’s wintering range, individuals adjust to these differences in energy budget, maintaining consistent reproductive fitness regardless of where they winter.

Photo by Don-Jean Léandri-Breton. 

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