Gyuris, 2004:

"This study provides the first empirical data on the impact of visitors on aspects of the breeding biology of seabirds in the tropics. Hatching success, weight and bill length of Bridled Tern chicks were not reduced at the more disturbed "disturbance" sites when compared to those at the less disturbed monitored-only sites. This can be taken to indicate that disturbance had no negative effect on hatching success and chick growth. However, I interpret these results as showing that human intrusion into nesting colonies did have a negative effect but that any such effect was subsequently ameliorated by increasing habituation resulting from higher frequency and intensity of disturbance.

My results are best explained by considering that the Bridled Terns, similarly to some terns elsewhere (Dunlop 1996; Burger and Gochfeld 1998; Nisbet 2000; Shaeler and Haverland 2000), can habituate to human visitation." 

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Citation and/or URL

Gyuris, E. 2004. 'An experimental investigation of the effects of human intrusion into breeding colonies of the Bridled Terns Sterna anaethetus in the Great Barrier Reef.' Pacific Conservation Biology. Vol. 9: 265-72. 

Spatial Coverage

Rocky Islets, Far Northern Section, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 

Temporal Coverage

1995 - 1998

Update Frequency

Not applicable 

Other Information

None