Individual Diving Behavior, Food Availability and Chick Growth Rates in Chinstrap Penguins

Abstract

-The relationship between foraging effort and chick growth rate was investigated in two Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), fitted with time-depth recorders and whose diving behavior differed from each other. Foraging effort did not differ between the individuals, but the growth rates of their chicks differed. Although these birds bred at the same colony and at the same time, food available to the parents differed because of the depth at which they fed and this possibly was reflected in the growth of the chicks. Food availability depends on the abundance of potential food and also on the feeding behavior of individuals. Received 16 March 2001, accepted 20 May 2001.