Diet of post-breeding Antarctic Shags Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis at Cockburn Island, Antarctic Peninsula

Abstract

The diet of post-breeding Antarctic shags (Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis) was investigated at Cockburn Island, in the Antarctic Peninsula, through the analysis of pellets collected in February 2015. Demersal-benthic fish were the most frequent and important prey, followed by invertebrates. Among the fish, nototheniids were most abundant in the diet in terms of numbers, whereas channichthyids, Chionodraco rastrospinosus in particular, represented most of the mass. The information provided here differs from that reported for post-breeding individuals belonging to other shag species and for post-breeding Antarctic shags. This article discusses our results and the differences with previous studies, in terms of prey availability among localities.