Comparative Diurnal and Nocturnal Diet and Foraging in Eurasian Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria and Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus Wintering on Arable Farmland

Ardea

Simon Gillings²  William J. Sutherland¹ 

[1] 2 Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK3 current address: Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK;1 British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK

关键词: Nocturnal;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Nederlandse Ornithologische Unie/Netherlands Ornithological Union

【 摘 要 】

Knowledgeofdietandintakeratesareusefulfirststepsinunderstandingthedistributionandbehaviourofforagers.ThedietofGoldenPloversandLapwingsfeedingonarablefarmlandhasbeenrarelystudied,yetthesespeciesincreasinglyoccupythishabitatinwinter.Theyareknowntofeedatnightbutlittleisknownabouttheirdietandforagingsuccessatnight.Thisstudyaimedtodescribeandcomparediurnalandnocturnalforagingbehaviourinordertoexplainspatialandtemporalpatternsinforaging.Overthreewinters(1999/2000–2001/02)diurnalandnocturnalobservationsoffocalindividualsandcollectionoffaecalsampleswereusedtoreconstructdietandquantifyintakeratesacrossarangeofarablehabitats.Numerically,arthropods(mostlyCarabidsandmillipedes)werethemaindiurnalpreytypesbutbybiomass,smallearthwormswerethemajorpreyitems.Diurnalintakerateswerelowbutcomparablewithotherstudiesofthesespecies,promptingquestionsconcerningtheprofitabilityoffeedingonagriculturalfarmlandandthepause-travelforagingmode.Nocturnalintakerateswereupto50%higherduetoagreaterrelianceoncatchinglargeearthwormsatnight.Diurnalintakerateswerehighestduringmildweatherandongrassandsugarbeetstubblefields;theywerelowestoncerealcrops,yetthiswasthehabitatmostconsistentlyoccupied.Currentmethodsforassessingearthwormabundancelimitfurtherexplanationofforagingbehaviour.

【 授权许可】

Unknown