Food and feeding ecology of emperor penguins in the eastern Weddell Sea

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Author: Klages, Norbert
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 1989
• Subjects: Antarctic; Weddell; Weddell Sea; Antarc*; Antarctic Krill; Antarctic silverfish; Antarctica; Aptenodytes forsteri; Emperor penguins; Euphausia superba; Polar Biology; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/34713/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/34713/1/1566.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00442529

The diet of the emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri in the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica was studied during October and November 1986 by stomach content analysis. Emperor penguins fed mainly on Antarctic krill Euphausia superba, Antarctic silverfish Pleuragramma antarcticum and squid Psychroteuthis glacialis. Benthic prey was not found. The prey composition suggests two different feeding strategies, shallow dives exploring the rugged underside of sea ice where krill is taken, and deep dives when mesopelagic fish and squid are consumed. Chicks were fed on average every 1.44 days.