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The diet of post-breeding Antarctic shags Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis at the Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2009

R. Casaux ,
A. Baroni ,
A. Ramón ,
M. Bertolin  and
C.Y. Di Prinzio
R. Casaux*
Affiliation:
Instituto Antártico Argentino, Cerrito 1248, 1010 Buenos Aires, Argentina Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, (1033) Buenos Aires, Argentina
A. Baroni
Affiliation:
Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, 1113 Buenos Aires, Argentina
A. Ramón
Affiliation:
Subsecretaría de Medioambiente, Municipalidad de Esquel, Mitre 524, 9200 Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
M. Bertolin
Affiliation:
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, (1033) Buenos Aires, Argentina
C.Y. Di Prinzio
Affiliation:
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, (1033) Buenos Aires, Argentina
*
*rcasaux@dna.gov.ar
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Abstract

The diet of post-breeding Antarctic shags Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis was investigated at four colonies at the Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula, by the analysis of 399 pellets (regurgitated casts) collected during February and March 1998 and 2000. Overall, demersal-benthic fish were the most frequent and important prey at all the colonies sampled, followed by octopods and gastropods. Amongst the fish, Notothenia coriiceps and Gobionotothen gibberifrons were the main prey in all of the sampling sites in both seasons. The composition of the diet of post-breeding shags differed from that observed in the previous breeding season. Post-breeders preyed on the same fish species consumed by breeders, although in different proportions and on larger specimens. The information provided here differs from that reported for post-breeding individuals belonging to other shag species and also for post-breeding Antarctic shags. Our results, as well as the differences with previous studies, are discussed in relation to differences in prey availability among localities and to the use of alternative foraging grounds at the end of the breeding period.

Keywords

AntarcticaGobionotothenNototheniapost-breeding diet
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , June 2009 , pp. 221 - 227
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2009

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