MARINE BIRDS AHEAD, WHALES AHEAD!
Skjálfandi Bay is a feeding area for several marine species, like humpback whales, Atlantic puffins and artic terns. Hundreds of birds are commonly observed closer to humpback whales and dolphins, while they are feeding.
This type of association between whales and birds is called “commensalism”. Commensalism is a type of symbiotic relationship where one species will benefits while not affecting the other species in a positive or negative way.
Humpback whales feed on krill and also different schooling fish, like capelin, and this which is the type of food source that marine birds are looking for.
These whales rise from below their prey, entrapping them in their mouth, swimming all the way to the surface while filtering the water out through their baleen plates, until they reach the surface. During this process several fish are pushed to the surface, being easily accessible to marine birds.
This type of association is believed to help reduce the energy cost of marine birds when compared to locating and pursuing live prey.
During our tours, countless arctic terns, black-headed gulls and arctic fulmar can be easily observed close to feeding humpback whales.
Why not join us on one of our tours to witness this kind of relationship?
Diana
