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Diet of the Fiordland crested penguin during the post-guard phase of chick growth

Notornis, 36 (2), 151-156

Y.M. van Heezik (1989)

Article Type: Paper

The stomach contents of 50 adult Fiordland crested penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) were collected during the post-guard phase of chick growth. Twenty-two food species were identified from 19 families.  The composition of the diet, expressed as percentages of calculated weight, was 85% cephalopods, 1304 crustaceans and 2% fish. The sexes did not differ in their diets. The cephalopods and fish were juvenile and larval forms, indicating that the penguins were feeding on pelagic macro-zooplankton and micro-nekton. The main cephalopod taken was Nototodarus sp., and so the penguins were foraging mainly over the continental shelf, which extends no more than 10-15 km from the shore.

Foraging by Adélie penguins during the incubation period

Notornis, 35 (1), 15-23

L.S. Davis; G.D. Ward; R.M.F.S. Sadleir (1988)

Article Type: Paper

Nine Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), 4 females and 5 males, were tracked by radio telemetry when they went to sea from the Northern Rookery, Cape Bird, Antarctica, on their first foraging trips of the incubation period. Each penguin took a different direction on leaving the rookery but maintained its approximate heading, suggesting that it was navigating. Radio contact was lost after 2-12 days as birds moved beyond the 100 km radio horizon. The penguins spent about one-third of their time on ice floes. Most of their time in the water was spent diving and feeding. Dives (including underwater swimming) lasted for a mean of 92.5 s, followed by a mean recovery period of 33.8 s. The length of the recovery period was significantly correlated with the length of the dive. From the maximum dive times, the duration of “feeding” dives, and the dive: pause ratios, Adelie penguins seem to have diving abilities between those of the other two pygoscelid penguins, the gentoo and chinstrap. We hypothesize that the Adelie penguins may travel large distances from the rookery during the incubation period so as to forage on the larger and more pelagic krill, Euphausia superba.
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