Reflections of a specialist: patterns in food provisioning and foraging conditions in Sandwich Terns Sterna sandvicensis

Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis) Science Article 1

abstract

Highly specialised piscivorous seabirds, like S andwich Terns Sterna sandvicensis, have limited capacity to switch to alternative prey species when the availability of a particular prey species is low. Therefore, variations in the diet of such species are likely to reflect fluctuations in food availabi lity. We studied food provisioning of S andwich Tern chicks on Griend in 1992-98 . About 75% of the fish brought to the colony were eaten by the chicks.

Stienen E.W.M., P.W.M. v an Beers, A . Brenninkmeijer, J .M.P.M. Habraken, M .H .J.E. Raaijmakers & P.G.M. van Tienen 2000, Ardea 88 : 33-49

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