Foraging ecology of King penguins from Macquarie Island during incubation

Published: 2026-06-11

In the 1998/1999 summer, 25 satellite trackers (Sirtrack) were deployed on King penguins at the Sandy Bay colony at Macquarie Island. One instrument failed and one penguin had not returned by the time the fieldwork had to be stopped. The 24 penguins who were recaptured spent 12 to 21 days at sea. Sixteen penguins also carried time depth recorders (Wildlife Computers Mk 7). Among individuals, average dive depths ranged from 132 m to 176 m. Maximal dive depths ranged from 152 m to 235 m. Diet samples were collected from 12 non-instrumented penguins upon their return to the island. Lanternfish (Krefftichthys andersoni and Electrona carlsbergi) were the most common prey species.