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DOES PREY PREFERENCE AFFECT HABITAT CHOICE IN ANTARCTIC SEABIRDS?
Citation:
Ainley, D., C. Ribic, AND W. Fraser. DOES PREY PREFERENCE AFFECT HABITAT CHOICE IN ANTARCTIC SEABIRDS? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-93/150 (NTIS PB93191476).
Description:
Diet composition of 2 seabird species assemblages in the Scotia-Weddell Confluence region, Antarctica, was investigated during 3 seasons/years: spring 1983, autumn 1986, and winter 1988. ne assemblage frequented the pack ice and the other was present in adjacent open waters. ost members of the latter species assemblage vacated the Antarctic during winter. o test an a priori hypothesis that diet was affected by habitat, diet samples were obtained from birds encountered in 3 habitats: open water, sparse concentrations of ice, and heavy ice cover. luster analysis showed broad overlap in diet regardless of species, habitat (ice/water mass) or year. eabirds exploited prey largely according to ranked availability, although they appeared to choose the larger fish and crustaceans over smaller crustaceans. yctophids in particular, but also krill and squid, were the main prey groups. e conclude that open-water seabirds lack the specialized foraging behaviors required to exploit the pack-ice environment and that open waters during the winter offer much poorer feeding conditions than those of the pack ice.
