Diet of the blue petrel at sub-Antarctic Marion Island

Abstract

Food samples were collected from 49 blue petrels Halobaena caerulea at Marion Island in the sub-Antarctic region. These were analysed and the results compared with previously published data collected at other islands. Crustaceans formed the major prey by mass (59, 5%) and frequency (100%), with Euphausia vallentini being of particular importance (56, 6% by mass of Crustacea). Other prey included fish, cephalopods and two species of insects, a moth (Noctuidae) and an assassin bug Nabis.