Preliminary results on the diet of the snow petrel Pagodroma nivea at Laurie Island, Antarctica, during the 1997/98 breeding season

The diet of the Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea was investigated at Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, (60¡46'S, 44¡42'W), Antarctica, over the period January-February of 1998. Stomach contents and regurgitates of adults were sampled during the chick-rearing period. Fish, followed by the Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba, were the main prey throughout the sampling period. Other crustaceans and cephalopods were scarcely represented. Among fish, Myctophids dominated in the diet, being Electrona antarctica the main prey.
The information presented here should be considered as preliminary and further studies on the composition of the diet of the Snow Petrel as well as on the distribution and abundance of their main preys are required to better understand on the feeding behavior of this bird.