DIET OF MOLTING KING ELDERS SOMATERIA-SPECTABILIS AT DISKO ISLAND, WEST GREENLAND

During the autumns of 1990-1992, 109 moulting King Elders Somateria sp ectabilis were collected at Disko Island, West Greenland, for analysis of stomach contents. All collected birds had food in their stomachs. The mean number of prey items per stomach was 11.1. Moulting King Elde rs had a varied diet (minimum 41 prey species), with mollusks comprisi ng the bulk of the food. Bivalves of 21-40 mm length occurred more fre quently in the stomachs than did other size categories of bivalves. Th ere was no marked difference in food composition between sex and age c lasses of elders, and the diet varied only slightly between the study years. Female elders depend strongly on a high prey density owing to t heir late arrival in the area and shorter day lengths.