FISH IN THE DIET OF THE ANTARCTIC SHAG PHALACROCORAX-BRANSFIELDENSIS AT LAURIE ISLAND, SOUTH-ORKNEY ISLANDS

The analysis of 29 stomach contents collected from a colony close to P irie Peninsula, South Orkney Islands, from 2 January to 18 February 19 95, showed that fish were by far the most important prey of the Antarc tic shag Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis, followed by octopods, decapods and gammarids. The fish Notothenia coriiceps constituted the bulk of the diet; however, its importance decreased by the end of the study wh en Lepidonotothen nudifrons was the most important prey. The compositi on of the stomach contents varied throughout the breeding season accor ding to changes in the chicks' energetic demands; as chicks grew older the adults increased the mass of the loads carried to the nests, prey ing on larger fish, a phenomenon also observed at the South Shetland I slands.