The diet of the emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, in Amanda Bay, Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Gales, N.J., Klages, N.T.W., Williams, R., Woehler, E.J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Univ. Press 1990
• Subjects: Amanda Bay; Princess Elizabeth Land; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica; Aptenodytes forsteri; Emperor penguins
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/34941/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/34941/1/1644.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102090000037

The diet of the emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri (Gray) in Amanda Bay, Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica, was studied by analysis of adult stomach contents during part of the chick-rearing period from August to October 1986. The penguins consumed almost entirely fish, mainly Pleuragramma antarcticum (Boulenger) (78% by number and 78% by mass). Other fish species, cephalopods and crustaceans were minor components. These results and those of the only other two, geographically distinct, quantitative studies of the diet of emperor penguins suggest that the diet of this species varies through the effects of local topography and hydrology on prey availability.