Summary
In this talk we describe the intra- and inter-annual variability in the timing of breeding phenology over a 16 year period for the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony at Béchervaise Island, East Antarctica. We provide clear evidence that Adélie penguins have the capacity to adjust the interval between arrival and egg lay in response to arrival dates with a reduced courtship and egg lay period in years when they arrive late. However, the timing of their arrival still sets in motion corresponding later or earlier dates for clutch initiation, departure of parents on foraging trips and chick hatch. We describe which environmental variables are associated with penguin arrival times, in particular, those that delay their arrival, out of a range of broad marine environmental conditions, local weather conditions and broad climatic indices and discuss the impact that late or early arrival has on breeding success. Furthermore we examine what degree of synchrony exists between the penguins and whether this is also associated with reproductive outcomes for this population.