Ecology Summary - Alca torda

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Ecology of Alca torda

Main Ref.	SAUP Database, 2006
Remarks	Found along coasts; <15 km (Ref. 356). In the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland and northern England, this species primarily forage inshore and feed on the sandeel, Ammodytes marinus (Ref. 95711). Known to be pursuit divers (Ref. 356). They surface-feed by scooping prey from the water and also able to exploit the water column by diving; carrying prey in their bills back to their colony. In nesting colonies, breeding pairs share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Adults feed their chicks with regurgitated food (Ref. 95711).

Main Ref.

SAUP Database, 2006

Remarks

Found along coasts; <15 km (Ref. 356). In the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland and northern England, this species primarily forage inshore and feed on the sandeel, Ammodytes marinus (Ref. 95711). Known to be pursuit divers (Ref. 356). They surface-feed by scooping prey from the water and also able to exploit the water column by diving; carrying prey in their bills back to their colony. In nesting colonies, breeding pairs share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Adults feed their chicks with regurgitated food (Ref. 95711).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Alca torda may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Daunt, F., S. Wanless, P.R. Simon, H.J. Greenstreet, K.R. Hamer and M.P. Harris, 2008
Associations	colony-forming/symphorism;
Associated with
Association remarks	Form nesting colonies (Ref. 95711).
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Daunt, F., S. Wanless, P.R. Simon, H.J. Greenstreet, K.R. Hamer and M.P. Harris, 2008
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Daunt, F., S. Wanless, P.R. Simon, H.J. Greenstreet, K.R. Hamer and M.P. Harris, 2008

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	4.23	0.77			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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