The diet of black-browed albatrosses at the Diego Ramirez Islands, Chile

Arata, Javier; Xavier, José C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9621-6660. 2003 The diet of black-browed albatrosses at the Diego Ramirez Islands, Chile. Polar Biology, 26 (10). 638-647. 10.1007/s00300-003-0530-z

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Abstract/Summary

The diet of black-browed albatrosses was studied at Gonzalo Island, Diego Ramirez, Chile, during the early chick-rearing periods of 2000, 2001, and 2002. Diet composition was determined by sampling chick-stomach contents during January and February of each year. Reconstituted meal mass was similar throughout the study, with diet being dominated by fish in all 3 years. Overall, the main items taken were the fishes Macruronus magellanicus (66-89% by mass) and Micromesistius australis (2.6-3.7% by mass), which are both fisheries-related species, and the squid Martialia hyadesi (8-20% by mass). The distribution of the prey species indicates that black-browed albatrosses obtained the bulk of their food over the South American continental shelf, but also foraged at the Antarctic Polar Front. The prevalence in the diet of fish species discarded from fishing operations, and the presence of fish hooks and fish bait species, indicate a strong association with fisheries in southern Chile.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s00300-003-0530-z
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Antarctic Science in the Global Context (2000-2005) > Dynamics and Management of Ocean Ecosystems
ISSN:	0722-4060
NORA Subject Terms:	Marine Sciences Zoology Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	16 Feb 2012 13:47 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12555

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