Foods of northern fulmars associated with high-seas drift nets in the transitional region of the North Pacific

Northwestern Naturalist
By: , and 

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Abstract

We examined digestive tract contents and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in breast muscles of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) salvaged from squid and large-mesh drift nets in the transitional North Pacific. Lantern fishes (Myctophidae) were the principal prey item found in the digestive tracts. Pieces of unidentified fishes (probably Pacific pomfret Brama japonica) and shredded squid tissue (probably neon flying squid Ommastrephes bartrami) indicate scavenging at fishing operations. Although soft-bodied prey such as Velella were not found in the digestive tracts, δ 15N values suggest that fulmars may feed heavily on such low trophic-level animals.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Foods of northern fulmars associated with high-seas drift nets in the transitional region of the North Pacific
Series title Northwestern Naturalist
DOI 10.2307/3536846
Volume 78
Issue 2
Year Published 1997
Language English
Publisher Society for Northwestern Vertebrate Biology
Contributing office(s) Alaska Science Center
Description 5 p.
First page 57
Last page 61
Other Geospatial North Pacific
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