Publications

1. Lipid levels of capelin are highest in late fall and lowest during the summer spawning season; protein levels are constant at 13–14% body wt throughout the year.2. Ovid females contained significantly more lipid and protein and less water and had higher energy densities than males and spent females.3. Surgically-removed egg masses made up 34.2 ± 10.3% female body wt and were very...

Estuaries along the north side of the Alaska Peninsula provide essential habitat for most of the American population of Emperor Goose (Chen canagica) during migration (Petersen and Gill 1982). Most of the population passes through Nelson Lagoon in spring and fall, with over 40,000 birds recorded there (Gill et al 1981). Little is known about the feeding activity of Emperor Geese while...

During spring aerial surveys of the coast of the southeastern Bering Sea significant numbers of gray whales were seen in nearshore waters along the north side of the Alaska Peninsula. Many (50-80%) of these animals were observed surfacing with mud trails or lying on their sides, characteristics both associated with feeding. A migration route close to shore (within 1-2 km) was used until...

Data on nestling growth of brood parasites and their hosts are surprisingly few in the literature, Even the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), whose host relations have been studied in some other respects, has not been studied in any detail from this standpoint. This is particularly regrettable because the lack of host specialization and high incidence of multiple parasitism in this...

Recently we discovered that a small form of the Canada Goose Branta canadensis breeds on Kaliktagik Island, one of the Semidi Islands, about 80 km south of the Alaska Peninsula near longitude 157°W (Figure 1). The unexpected occurrence of geese on this oceanic island and the possibility that they are closely allied with the endangered Aleutian race of Canada Geese B. c. leucopareia...

Sperm-storage glands were found in the uterovaginal (UV) region of the oviduct in Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), Horned Puffins (Fratercula corniculata), and Leach's Storm-Petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) collected before or shortly after egg laying. Previously described only in domestic Galliformes, UV sperm-storage glands may prove to be a common feature of the avian...

Highly visible auxiliary markers, such as neck collars, nasal saddles, patagial tags, and leg streamers, are used regularly and effectively with banding in studying migration and distribution of large birds (e.g. waterfowl, birds of prey, wading birds). Simply stated, a large bird can accommodate a marker that is large enough to be seen readily by an observer but still small enough not...

About one-quarter of the resident seabirds in the Gulf of Alaska breed on the Semidi Islands. In terms of biomass, the proportion is closer to one-third. The most abundant birds are Common and Thick-billed Murres, with a combined population exceeding 1 million birds. Hundreds of thousands of Horned Puffins breed in burrows on two islands. Other species numbering more than 100,000...

Pools of brain, kidney, spleen, liver and gut tissues from several rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, and whole sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum), fry were homogenized with a known amount of infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). Virus was also added to ovarian fluids and sera pooled from several rainbow trout. The plaque assay was used to determine the...

Three species of alcids, Common and Thick-billed murres (Uria aalge and U. lomvia) and the Razorbill (Alca torda), have post-hatching developmental patterns intermediate to precocial and semi-precocial modes (Sealy 1973). The young leave their cliff nest sites at about one quarter of adult weight and complete their growth at sea. At departure, an event here loosely referred to as...

Seabirds were observed between Alaska and Hawaii along 158°W longitude from 24 October to 6 November 1976. Their distributions and abundances corresponded remarkably well to oceanographic regions. Indices of seabird density dropped in a series of plateaus from 44 birds/km2 in the Alaska Current System to less than 1 bird/km2 in subtropic waters. Northern distribution records were found...

Infectious haematopoietic mecrosis virus (IHNV) is enzootic in virtually all populations of sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum), and in populations of chinook salmon, O. tshawytscha (Walbaum), of the Sacramento River drainage in California. This disease is an obstacle in hatcheries using brood stocks from these populations. However, naturally spawning sockeye salmon are highly...