What do yellow-billed loons eat?

What is it about?

Knowledge of animal diets is critical for understanding their ecology. We obtained the first estimates of the diets of yellow-billed loons during the early portion of their nesting period on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, a critical phase of the life cycle. Alaska blackfish were unexpectedly found to be the dominant component of their diet. Although blackfish are only found in about a third of large lakes and are not usually locally abundant, their tolerance for harsh winters and presence in lakes early in the season when loons first move onto lakes likely explains their importance during this period. Other species, such as least cisco and ninespine stickleback, are probably more abundant in lakes and may therefore contribute more importantly to diets later in the year.

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Why is it important?

Our research provides unique and unexpected information about the diets of yellow-billed loons during the early portion of their nesting season, which is a critical phase of their life cycle.