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Diving depths of Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis breeding on the Isle of May
Author(s) -
WANLESS S.,
BURGER A. E.,
HARRIS M. P.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1991.tb04807.x
Subject(s) - foraging , underwater , fishery , seabird , oceanography , biology , environmental science , geography , ecology , geology , predation
Information on maximum dive depth and the time spent at various depths was obtained from 49 Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis. On average, the maximum dive depth was 33–35 m; the overall maximum was 43 m. Shags dived repeatedly to the same depth and spent c. 55% of the time between 25 and 34 m which indicated that they were foraging close to the seabed. About 46% of the time underwater was spent foraging and 54% travelling. Average underwater swimming speed was 1.7‐1.9 m per second.