Maximum diving depths of northern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi) at Amsterdam Island

Abstract

The mean maximum dive depth from 49 foraging bouts by northern rockhopper penguins, measured using capillary-tube depth gauges, was 66 ± 4 m (12 168 m). There were no differences in the maximum dive depths between male and female penguins. Northern rockhopper penguins dived deeper in early than in late creche stages (83 ± 7 vs 57 ± 4 m), and this was associated with probable dietary changes, squid dominating the diet by mass (44%) in November, and fish (64%) in December 1994 at Amsterdam Island.