Estimation of Food Consumption in Adélie Penguin Chicks Using Body Mass and Growth

Abstract

Food consumption by penguins is an important component of energy flow in southern ocean food chain. We present a simple method for estimating daily food consumption of Adélie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae chicks by weighing them at regular intervals. Assuming that chick mass decrease rate is constant during food absorption period, their daily food consumption could be estimated by their initial mass and daily growth. Our method would be useful for estimating food consumption of individual chicks handled for other purposes with little additional disturbance.