Cory's shearwater feeding on Dogfish's liver

Abstract

While out at sea with some fishermen on 7th March 1981 we caught a Large Great Spotted Dogfish Scyliorhinus stellaris. We decided to cook the fish and after cleaning it we threw the liver overboard. There were no shearwaters in sight at that particular moment but very shortly about a dozen Cory's Shearwaters Calonectris diomedea were spotted flying in line towards us flapping their wings continuously. The first to arrive swallowed the first piece of liver, which must have been at least 20 cm in Length, and in no time at all the remaining pieces were all taken by some of the other birds. By this time other Cory's Shearwaters were flying towards the area from every direction. It ls surprising how quickly the oily liver was detected, either by smell or by sight.