Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Intra- and interannual variation in the diet of the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) at Martillo Island, Beagle Channel

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Knowledge of seabirds’ diet at each breeding site and its temporal variation is key to understanding and evaluating how changes in marine resources affect each seabird population. In this study, we determined the diet of Magellanic penguins (MP, Spheniscus magellanicus) at Martillo Island, accounting for sex, breeding stage and year. We analyzed a total of 144 stomach contents during three consecutive breeding seasons (2006–2007, 2007–2008 and 2008–2009) and stages (incubation, early and late chick-rearing). MP fed mainly on fuegian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis), which represented 75 % of the biomass consumed by birds during the entire study. The next important prey was squat lobster (Munida gregaria), followed by Patagonian squid (Loligo gahi). Both sexes consumed similar prey items. We observed variation in diet relative composition among breeding years and stages. Fuegian sprat consumption decreased throughout the years whereas squat lobster increased. Penguins consumed a higher proportion of squat lobster and Patagonian squid during the incubation stage than in the chick-rearing stages, whereas fuegian sprat was almost the only prey item consumed during the late chick-rearing stage. MPs show certain flexibility in the use of resources probably as a response to changes in prey populations. Variability in the diet among different reproductive stages could be related to changes in the distribution and abundance of their main prey near the colony during the breeding season together with changes in the energy requirements of seabirds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agnew D, Kerry K (1995) Sexual dimorphism in penguins. In: Dann P, Norman I, Reilly P (eds) The penguins: ecology and management. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Sydney, pp 299–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Arntz W, Gili JM, Reise K (1999) Unjustifiably ignored: reflections on the role of benthos in marine ecosystems. In: Gray JS (ed) Biogeochemical cyucling and sediment ecology. Klawers Academic Publishers, Netherlands, pp 105–124

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bertrand A, Segura M, Gutiérrez M, Vásquez L (2004) From small-scale habitat loopholes to decadal cycles: a habitat-based hypothesis explaining fluctuation in pelagic fish populations off Peru. Fish Fish 5(4):296–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boersma DP (2008) Penguins as marine sentinels. Bioscience 58(7):597–607

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boersma PD, Stokes DL, Yorio PM (1990) Reproductive variability and historical change of Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at Punta Tombo, Argentina. In: Davis LS, Darby JT (eds) Penguin biology. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 15–43

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Boersma D, Rebstock GA, Frere E, Moore SE (2009) Following the fish: penguins and productivity in the South Atlantic. Ecol Monogr 79(1):59–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunnetti NE, Ivanovic ML, Sakai M (1999) Calamares de importancia comercial en la Argentina. Biología, distribución, pesquerías, muestreo biológico. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero (INIDEP), Mar del Plata

  • Ciancio J, Pascual M, Beauchamp D (2007) Energy density of Patagonian aquatic organisms and empirical predictions based on water content. Trans Am Fish Soc 136:1415–1422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke MR (1986) A handbook for the identification of cephalopods beak. Clarendon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke A, Prince PA (1980) Chemical composition and calorific value of food fed to Mollymauck chicks (Diomedea melanophris) and (D. chrysostoma) at Bird Island, South Georgia. Ibis 122:488–494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clausen A (2001) Falkland island seabird monitoring programme. Annual Report 2000/2001. Falklands Conservation, Port Stanley

  • Clausen AP, Pütz K (2002) Recent trends in diet composition and productivity of Gentoo, Magellanic and Rockhopper Penguins in the Falkland Islands. Aquat Conserv 12:51–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collm NS (2002) Análisis morfométrico de los huesos del cráneo de la sardina fueguina Sprattus fuegensis. Degree thesis. Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • Comoglio LI, Amin OA (1999) Feeding habits of the false southern king crab Paralomis granulosa (Lithodidae) in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Sci Mar 63(1):361–366

  • Cousseau MB (1982) Revisión taxonómica y análisis de los caracteres morfométricos y merísticos de la sardina fueguina, Sprattus fuegensis (Jenyns, 1842) (Pisces, Clupeidae). Rev Invest Desarr Pesq INIDEP 3:77–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Cousseau MB, Perrotta RG (1998) Peces marinos de Argentina. Biología, distribución, pesca 3rd edn. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, INIDEP, Mar del Plata

  • Croxall JP, Trathan PN, Murphy EJ (2002) Environmental change and Antarctic seabird populations. Science 297:1509–1514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Culik BM (1994) Energy requirements of pygoscelid penguins: a synopsis. Rep Polar Res 150:1–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Rienzo JA, Casanoves F, Balzarini MG, Gonzalez L, Tablada M, Robledo CW (2009) Infostat. FCA Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina

    Google Scholar 

  • Diez MJ, Romero MC, Obenat S, Albano MJ, Tapella F (2009) Distribución of benthic invertebrates in the Beagle Channel, Argentina. An Inst Patagon 37(2):29–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Diez MJ, Perez-Barros P, Romero MC, Scioscia G, Tapella F, Cabreira AG, Madirolas A, Raya Rey A, Lovrich G (2012) Pelagic swarms and beach strandings of the squat lobster Munida gregaria (Anomura: Munididae) in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego. Polar Biol 35:973–983

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forero MG, Hobson KA, Bortolotti GR, Donázar JA, Bertellotti M, Blanco G (2002) Food resource utilisation by the Magellanic penguin evaluated through stable-isotope analysis: segregation by sex and age and influence on offspring quality. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 234:289–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forero MG, González-Solis J, Hobson KA, Donázar JA, Bertellotti M, Blanco G, Bortolotti GR (2005) Stable isotopes reveal trophic segregation by sex and age in the southern giant petrel in two different food webs. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 296:107–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frere E, Gandini P, Lichtschein V (1996) Variación latitudinal en la dieta del Pingüino de Magallanes (Spheniscus magellanicus) en la costa patagónica, Argentina. Ornitol Neotrop 7:35–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Gandini PA, Frere E, Helik TM (1992) Implicaciones de las diferencias en el tamaño corporal entre colonias para el uso de medidas morfométricas como método de sexados en Spheniscus magellanicus. Hornero 13:211–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Gandini P, Frere E, Boersma PD (1996) Status and conservation of Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus in Patagonia, Argentina. Bird Conserv Int 6:307–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • González-Solís J, Croxall JP, Wood AG (2000) Sexual dimorphism and sexual segregation in foraging strategies of northern giant petrels, Macronectes halli, during incubation. Oikos 90:390–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gosztonyi AE, Kuba L (1996) Atlas de huesos craneales y de la cintura escapular de peces costeros patagónicos. Informes Técnicos del Plan de Manejo Integrado de la Zona Costera Patagónica 4:29 pp

  • Gutierrez M, Swartzman G, Bertrand A, Bertrand S (2007) Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) and sardine (Sardinops sagax) spatial dynamics and aggregation patterns in the Humboldt Current ecosystem, Peru, from 1983–2003. Fish Oceanogr 16(2):155–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen J (1999) Estimación de parámetros poblacionales del efectivo de sardina fueguina (Sprattus fuegensis) de la costa continental argentina. Inf Tec INIDEP 27:28

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson GD, Buxton NG, George MJA (1997) Beak lenght analysis of Moroteuthis ingens (Cephalopoda: Onychoteuthidae) from the Falkland Islands region of the Patagonia Shelf. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 77:1235–1238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Litzow M, Piatt J, Prichard A, Roby D (2002) Response of pigeon guillemots to variable abundance of high-lipid and low-lipid prey. Oecologia 132(2):286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • López HL, García ML, San Román NA (1996) Lista comentada de la ictiofauna del Canal de Beagle, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. CADIC, Contribución Científica, Publicación Especial 23:01–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Madirolas A, Sánchez R, Hansen J, Álvarez Colombo G, Reta R (2000) Distribución, abundancia, biología y hábitat de la sardina fueguina (Sprattus fuegensis). Inf Tec INIDEP, p 46

  • Montevecchi WA (1993) Birds as indicators of change in marine prey stocks. In: Furness RW, Greenwood JJD (eds) Birds as monitors of environmental change. Chapman & Hall, Londres, pp 217–266

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Montevecchi WA, Myers RA (1995) Prey harvests of seabirds reflect pelagic fish and squid abundance on multiple spatial and temporal scales. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 117(1):1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montevecchi WA, Myers RA (1996) Dietary changes of seabirds indicate shifts in pelagic food webs. Sarsia 80(4):312–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicol S, Clarke J, Romaine SJ, Kawaguchi S, Williams G, Hosie GW (2008) Krill (Euphausia superba) abundance and Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding performance in the waters off the Béchervaise Island colony, East Antarctica in 2 years with contrasting ecological conditions. Deep Sea Res Part II 55:540–557

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orians GH, Pearson NE (1979) On the theory of central place foraging. In: Horn DJ, Mitchell RD, Stairs GR (eds) Analysis of ecological systems. Ohio State University Press, Columbus, pp 154–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortiz N, Ré ME, Márquez F (2006) First description of eggs, hatchlings and hatchling behaviour of Enteroctopus megalocyathus (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae). J Plankton Res 28(10):881–890

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peréz-Barros P (2001) Crustáceos decápodos bentónicos asociados a la captura de Munida spp. (Decapoda: Anomura) en el Canal Beagle. Degree thesis, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • Pérez-Barros P, D’amato ME, Guzmán N, Lovrich GA (2008) Taxonomic status of two South American sympatric squat lobsters, Munida gregaria and Munida subrugosa (Crustacea: Decapoda: Galatheidae), challenged by DNA sequence information. Biol J Linn Soc 94:421–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierotti R, Annett CA (1990) Diet and reproductive output in seabirds. Bioscience 40(8):568–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pineda SE, Aubone A, Brunetti NE (1996) Identificación y morfometría comparada de las mandíbulas de Loligo gahi y Loligo sanpaulensis (Cephalopoda, Loliginidae) del Atlántico Sudoccidental. Rev Invest Desarr Pesq INIDEP 10:85–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Pütz K, Ingham RJ, Smith JG, Croxall JP (2001) Population trends, breeding success and diet composition of gentoo Pygoscelis papua, magellanic Spheniscus magellanicus and rockhopper Eudyptes chrysocome penguins in the Falkland Islands. Polar Biol 24:793–807

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radl A, Culik BM (1999) Foraging behaviour and reproductive success in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus): a comparative study of two colonies in southern Chile. Mar Biol 133:381–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raya Rey A, Schiavini A (2000) Distribution, abundance and associations of seabirds in the Beaggle Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Polar Biol 23:338–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raya Rey A, Schiavini A (2001) Filling the groove: energy flow to seabirds in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Ecol Austral 11(115):122

    Google Scholar 

  • Raya Rey A, Bost CA, Schiavini A, Pütz K (2010) Foraging movements of Magellanic Penguins Spheniscus magellanicus in the Beagle Channel, Argentina, related to tide and tidal currents. J Ornithol 151:933–943

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raya Rey A, Pütz K, Scioscia G, Lüthi B, Schiavini A (2012) Sexual differences in the foraging behaviour of Magellanic Penguins related to stage of breeding. Emu 112(2):90–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raya Rey A, Rosciano N, Liljeström M, Saenz Samaniego R, Schiavini A (2014) Species-specific population trends detected for penguins, gulls and cormorants over 20 year in sub-Antartic Fuegian Archipelago. Polar Biol. doi:10.1007/s00300-014-1526-6

  • Riccialdelli L, Newsome SD, Fogel ML, Goodall RNP (2010) Isotopic assessment of prey and habitat preferences of a cetacean community in the southwestern South Atlantic Ocean. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 418:235–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero MC, Lovrich GA, Tapella F, Thatje S (2004) Feeding ecology of the crab Munida subrugosa (Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheidae) in the Beagle Channel, Argentina. J Mar Biol Ass UK 84:359–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero MC, Lovrich GA, Tapella F (2006) Seasonal changes in dry mass and energetic content of Munida subrugosa (Crustacea: Decapoda) in the Beagle Channel, Argentina. J Shellfish Res 25(1):101–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sala J, Wilson R, Frere E, Quintana F (2012) Foraging effort in Magellanic penguins in coastal Patagonia, Argentina. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 464:273–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiavini A, Yorio P, Gandini P, Raya Rey A, Boersma PD (2005) Los pingüinos de las costas argentinas: estado poblacional y conservación. Hornero 20:5–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Scioscia G (2011) Ecología trófica del pingüino de Magallanes (Spheniscus magellanicus) y sus implicancias en la ecología reproductiva en el Canal Beagle, Tierra del Fuego. Doctoral thesis, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • Scioscia G, Raya Rey A, Favero M, Schiavini A (2010) Factores que afectan el éxito reproductivo y la calidad de la nidada en el Pingüino de Magallanes (Spheniscus magellanicus) en el Canal Beagle, Tierra del Fuego. Argentina. Hornero 25(1):17–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Scolaro JA, Badano LA (1986) Diet of the Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus during the chick-rearing period at Punta Clara, Argentina. Cormorant 13:91–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Scolaro JA, Hall MA, Ximenez IM (1983) The Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus): Sexing adults by discriminant analysis of morphometric characters. Auk 100:221–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Scolaro JA, Wilson RP, Laurenti S, Kierspel M, Gallelli H, Upton JA (1999) Feeding preferences of the Magellanic penguin over its breeding range in Argentina. Waterbirds 22(1):104–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tapella F (2002) Reproducción, crecimiento, distribución y abundancia de la langostilla Munida subrugosa (Anomura: Galatheidae) del canal Beagle, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Doctoral thesis, Universidad de Córdoba, Argentina

  • Tapella F, Lovrich GA (2006) Morphological diferences between ‘subrugosa’ and ‘gregaria’morphs of adult Munida (Decapoda: gnomura: Galatheidae) from the Beagle Channel, southern South America. J Mar Biol Ass UK 86:1149–1155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tapella F, Lovrich GA, Romero MC, Thatje S (2002) Reproductive biology of the crab Munida subrugosa (Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheidae) in the Beagle Channel. Argentina J Mar Biol Ass UK 82:589–595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thayer JA, Sydeman WJ (2007) Spatio-temporal variability in prey harvest and reproductive ecology of a piscivorous seabird, Cerorhinca monocerata, in an upwelling system. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 329:253–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson KR (1993) Variation in Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus diet in the Falkland Islands. Mar Ornithol 21:57–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Tierney M, Emmerson L, Hindell M (2009) Temporal variation in Adélie penguin diet at Béchervaise Island, east Antarctica and its relationship to reproductive performance. Mar Biol 156(8):1633–1645

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanella FA, Fernández DA, Carolina Romero M, Calvo J (2007) Changes in the fish fauna associated with a sub-Antarctic Macrocystis pyrifera kelp forest in response to canopy removal. Polar Biol 30(4):449–457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venegas C (1998) Pingüinos crestados (Eudyptes chrysocome Forster 1781, E. chrysolophus Brandt 1837) y de Magallanes (Spheniscus magellanicus Forster 1781) en Isla Noir, Chile. An Inst Patagon 26:59–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Venegas C, Sielfeld W (1981) Utilizacion de aves como indicadoras de presencia y potencialidad de recursos marinos eventualmente manejables. Universidad de Valparaíso, Jornadas Ciencias del Mar Chile, p 83

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams TD (1995) The penguins. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson (1984) An improved stomach pump for penguins and other seabirds. J Field Ornithol 55(1):110–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson R, La Cock G, Wilson M-P, Mollagee F (1985) Differential digestion of fish and squid in Jackass Penguins Spheniscus demersus. Ornis Scand 16(1):77–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RP, Duffy DC, Wilson M-P, Araya B (1995) Aspects of the ecology of species replacement in Humboldt and Magellanic penguins in Chile. Le Gerfaut 85:49–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RP, Scolaro JA, Grémillet D, Kierspel MAM, Laurenti S, Upton J, Gallelli H, Quintana F, Frere E, Müller G, Straten MT, Zimmer I (2005) How do Magellanic penguins cope with variability in their access to prey? Ecol Monogr 75(3):379–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was made possible through the support of the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Financial support was provided by the Wildlife Conservation Society. We thank Jorge, Andrés and Alejandro Greco from Piratur for logistic support and transportation to the island. We are also grateful to Museo Acatushun and Natalie Goodall. We thank Mariano Diez,Federico Tapella, Marcela Liljesthröm, Natalia Paso Viola, Noelia Volpe, Guillermo Panisse, M. Florencia Colavita, Alfredo Barreto, Constanza Alberio, Natalia Dellabianca, N. Rosciano and M. Paula Sotelano for field and/or laboratory assistance and Marcela Liljesthröm for advice on language. We are grateful to the editor and three anonymous reviewers for providing useful suggestions to improve the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay #200, 9410, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

    Gabriela Scioscia, Andrea Raya Rey, Ricardo A. Saenz Samaniego, Olga Florentín & Adrián Schiavini

  2. Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10460, USA

    Adrián Schiavini

Authors
  1. Gabriela Scioscia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrea Raya Rey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ricardo A. Saenz Samaniego
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Olga Florentín
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Adrián Schiavini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriela Scioscia.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 15 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Scioscia, G., Raya Rey, A., Saenz Samaniego, R.A. et al. Intra- and interannual variation in the diet of the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) at Martillo Island, Beagle Channel. Polar Biol 37, 1421–1433 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1532-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1532-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation