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Stable isotopes reveal the importance of seabirds and marine foods in the diet of St Kilda field mice

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
An interesting study into the relationship between the St. Kilda Field Mouse and the seabird colonies.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-62672-x

the conclusion of the study is as follows:
This study highlights the power of stable isotope analyses to study the diet of cryptic species like mice, and in this instance the hitherto poorly studied endemic St Kilda field mouse. Our results indicate that mice breeding close to a large seabird colony are isotopically distinct from mice elsewhere on the island and that these values varied in line with the temporal availability of seabirds. The evidence is clear that mice on Carn Mor feed on seabirds, although it is unknown whether this is from scavenging carrion or predating live birds, or viable eggs. Further work is required to study the true nature of the interaction between St Kilda field mice and the threatened seabird populations in this small and remote island archipelago.
 
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