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Food specialisation of petrels in the Antarctic
Recently, 2 new articles were published about the food preferences of petrels in Antarctica.
Photo on the right: Pair of Snow Petrels on lookout point in front of the nest which is hidden in cavities between rocks. (Ruben Fijn)
During the Antarctic summer of 2005-2006, Ruben Fijn completed his MSc study biology at the British Antarctic station on Signy Island. His thorough study of the diet of Snow- and Cape Petrels has now been published in the journals Marine Ornithology and Seabird. The Cape Petrel targeted Antarctic krill for food; the Snow Petrels use more fish. Sampling methodology is crucial for obtaining good quantitative diet information.
Download the articles
- Fijn, R.C., Van Franeker, J.A. & Trathan, P.N. 2012. Dietary variation in chick-feeding and self-provisioning Cape Petrel Daption capense and Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica. Marine Ornithology 40: 81-87
- Fijn, R.C. Van Franeker, J.A. & Trathan, P.N. 2012. Vomit or Flush? Diet analysis using samples from spontaneous regurgitates or the water-off-load technique. Seabird 25: 22-28.
