The first five years of the Italian? Australian joint programme on the Adelie Penguin: an overview

About 2000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) nest in Edmonson Point (Wood Bay, 74 degrees 21' S, 165 degrees 10' E). The penguin colony is located on a raised terrace, divided into 13 discrete small units or colonies separated by unoccupied areas, where South polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki) nest. Colony layout, breeding chronology, breeding success, diet, and foraging areas were studied for five consecutive austral summers. Satellite transmitters, time-depth recorders, and electronic tagging were used for monitoring feeding behaviour and nest attendance. An Automated Penguin Monitoring System was installed which records weight, identity, and direction of penguins as they move between the sea and their breeding colony. So far, the results of this study are documentation on colony trends, breeding biology, and differences in foraging strategies at different study seasons.