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Pellet analysis evidences flexibility in the diet of Brown Skua (Stercorarius antarcticus) during breeding at Esperanza/Hope Bay (Antarctic Peninsula)

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Abstract

At Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, breeding Brown Skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) coexist with a breeding colony of Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Gentoo (P. papua) penguins. Previously, we reported that the principal prey consumed by Brown Skuas was penguin, however, the contribution of marine resources to their diet was high. Besides, the number of conspecifics that compete for this resource gradually increases across the season. This prompted us to enquire into the ecological factors that may promote the use of marine resources during the breeding cycle. For this, during the 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 seasons, 400 regurgitated pellets were collected over the breeding season for different stages in the nesting cycle: incubation, early and late chick rearing. Prey items were classified according to different categories (penguin, fish, mollusk, and crustacea), and the occurrence frequency of each category was determined. As expected, penguins were the main prey consumed, but the occurrence of fish and mollusks increased for both early and late care of chicks. The flexibility in skua foraging behavior may be related to the changing degree of central place forager, and to the fluctuating energy requirements during each breeding stage. Moreover, the conspicuous decline in penguin availability or accessibility induced by intraspecific competition, may represent an alternative driving force in their foraging behavior over the breeding season.

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Acknowledgements

This work was made possible thanks to Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA), which provided logistical support and permission to carry out the fieldwork at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. Special thanks to Marcela Mónica Libertelli from IAA for their precious help in Cephalopod identification. We appreciate the improvements in English usage made by Rosana Del Cid (CONICET) and Peter Lowther through the Association of Field Ornithologists' program of editorial assistance. Thanks to the Editor and Reviewers for their suggestions to improve the presentation of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by Proyecto de Investigación Plurianual (PIP- CONICET n° 0158) and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica and Instituto Antártico Argentino (PICTA-2010-0080) (to DM), and partially supported by (PICT-2014-3323) (to AEI).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de La Plata (FCNyM-UNLP), Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900FWA, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    A. E. Ibañez, L. M. Morales, D. S. Torres, P. Borghello & D. Montalti

  2. Centro Científico Tecnológico del Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, CCT-La Plata), Calle 8 1467, B1904, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    A. E. Ibañez, L. M. Morales & D. Montalti

  3. Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA), 25 de Mayo 1143, B1650HMK, San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    D. Montalti

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  1. A. E. Ibañez
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  3. D. S. Torres
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  4. P. Borghello
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Contributions

AEI contributed during fieldwork, sample analysis, analysis of the results, and writing the manuscript. PB and LMM contributed with the sample analysis. DST contributed during the fieldwork and sample analysis. DM contributed with sample analysis and writing the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to A. E. Ibañez.

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The permit to carry out the fieldwork for this work was evaluated and provided by the Ethics Committee of the Environment Office from the Dirección Nacional del Antártico (DNA). All applicable international, national, and institutional guidelines for sampling, care and experimental use of animals for the study were followed as established by the Article III, Annex II of the Madrid Protocol, Law 24.216 (Taking, Harmful Intrusion and Introduction of Species) within the framework of the projects evaluated by the Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA) and Dirección Nacional del Antártico (DNA).

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Ibañez, A.E., Morales, L.M., Torres, D.S. et al. Pellet analysis evidences flexibility in the diet of Brown Skua (Stercorarius antarcticus) during breeding at Esperanza/Hope Bay (Antarctic Peninsula). Polar Biol 45, 419–426 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02993-3

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