What Kind of Fish Do Marine Birds Eat?

Marine birds can include birds that live out in the sea, lakes, around rivers or along shorelines. Though many of these birds will consume fish, they will also consume insects, plants and other small animals to supplement their diet. Examples of marine birds include seagulls, cormorants and penguins.

  1. Cormorants

    • Cormorants are large diving birds that have long necks with hooked bills and short legs. They will live anywhere there is water: lakes, streams, marshes and ocean coastlines. Cormorants eat a varying number of species of fish including eel, perch, catfish, bluegill and bass. They will also supplement their diet with other aquatic animals including shrimp, crayfish and mussels.

    Heron

    • The heron, no matter what species, has long legs that allow it to wade in shallow water. This ability, combined with its sharp, spear-shaped beak, allows it to catch fish by spearing it. Herons have been known to eat perch, mosquitofish, bluegill, catfish, bass and eel. They will also eat lizards, salamanders, snakes, frogs, shrimp, crabs, insects and even other young birds.

    Pelican

    • There are multiple species of pelican in the United States, including two subspecies of brown pelicans. Brown pelicans are entirely reliant on the ocean for food, as they do not consume plants or other animals. Brown pelicans, such as the California brown pelican, enjoy anchovies, which can account for up to 90 percent of their diet. They will also consume Pacific mackerels and Pacific sardines.

    Penguin

    • Like any marine bird, the diet of the penguin will vary based on species and location, Penguins have developed over millions of years and now are capable of swimming incredibly fast, at upwards of 30 miles an hour, making it easy for them to catch fish in the water. Due to this, the penguin will catch any fish for food, though they do have some favorites including anchovies, sardines, mullets and species of Antarctic fish. Penguins will also eat squid, krill or shrimp.

    Seagulls

    • Seagulls are less like many of the other marine birds in the world, as they will literally eat nearly anything, including garbage. However, many species of gulls will eat fish for a good portion of their diet. For example, the California gull will consume any fish it can catch that sit near the surface of the water within pecking range. They will also eat brine shrimp or crabs.