Ecology of Fratercula arctica
 
Main Ref. SAUP Database, 2006
Remarks Occupy the continental shelf; <100 km; exhibits plunge-diving feeding behavior (Ref. 356). In the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland and northern England, this species is known to feed on the sandeel, Ammodytes marinus and breeding birds spend approx. 80% of daylight period at sea, commonly in dense rafts. They form nesting colonies with breeding pairs sharing incubation and chick-rearing duties; surface-feeding by scooping prey from the water, they carry prey in their bills and 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 Fratercula arctica 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; and dense rafts as a feeding strategy out at sea (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
Troph s.e. Troph s.e.
From diet composition
From individual food items 4.29 0.95 Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.
Ref. [ e.g. 3742]
Glossary [ e.g. cnidaria]
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