The Diets of Sula dactylatra, Sula sula, and Fregata minor on Christmas Island, Pacific Ocean

Abstract

The diets of the Blue-faced Booby (Sula dactylatra), the Red-footed Booby (Sula sula), and the Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor) were studied by analyses of reg urgitation samples. Flying fish and squid composed the majority of the diets, but the Frigatebirds also consumed numerous Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) pulli. These data allow comparison with similar earlier studies of the smaller bird species that inhabit the atoll and indicate that resource partitioning occurs through the percentage of fish and squid taken and the size of the prey items taken, with the larger species of birds eating larger fish and squid.