Estimated feeding rates and energy requirements of gentoo penguins,Pygoscelis papua, at Macquarie Island

✍ Scribed by Graham Robertson; Brian Green; Keith Newgrain

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 473 KB
• Volume: 9
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0722-4060
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00442034

✦ Synopsis

Water and sodium turnovers of 6-7 week old gentoo penguin chicks and breeding adults were measured using isotopically labelled water and sodium. Influx rates for chicks averaged 188ml.kg-l.day -1 and 13.9mmol.kg-l'day -1 for water and sodium, respectively. Chicks consumed an estimated 228 g. kg-1. day-1 fresh food or 886 kJ kg-1 day. These values correspond to 761 g.day -1 or 2945kJ.day -1 for a gentoo chick mid-way through the growth period. Flux rates for adults attending chicks ranged from 199 to 428 ml. kg-1. day-1 for water and from 15 to 36mmol.kg-l.day -1 for sodium.