Low Dietary Importance of Polychaetes in Opportunistic Feeding Sanderlings Calidris alba on Belgian Beaches

Ardea

Karl Van Ginderdeuren²  Nicolas Vanermen¹  Eric W.M. Stienen¹  Brecht De Meulenaer¹  Steven Degraer³ 

[1] 1 Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Kliniekstraat 25, 1070 Brussels, Belgium;;2 Ghent University, Biology Department, Marine Biology Section, Krijgslaan 281 (S8), 9000 Ghent, Belgium3 Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Ankerstraat 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium;2 Ghent University, Biology Department, Marine Biology Section, Krijgslaan 281 (S8), 9000 Ghent, Belgium4 Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models, Gulledelle 100, 1200 Brussels, Belgium

关键词: Sandy Beaches;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Nederlandse Ornithologische Unie/Netherlands Ornithological Union

【 摘 要 】

WestudiedabundanceandfeedingbehaviourofwinteringSanderlingCalidrisalbaatfivebeachesalongtheBelgiancoast,andfocusedontheroleofpolychaetewormsintheirdiet.Onaverage10.0Sanderlingswerepresentperkmstretchedbeach,ofwhich87.8%wereinvolvedinforagingactivities.HighestnumbersofSanderlingoccurredonthebeachfrom2hoursbeforeto4hoursafterlowtide.Detailedobservationsofindividualbirdsrevealedameanpeckingrateof18.7peckspermin.Birdsexhibitedseveralfeedingmodes,andwedistinguishedsuperficialpecking(mainlyfeedingonwreck)andprobingforpolychaetes.Feedingonwreckwasobservedfrequentlyandthroughoutthetidalcycle.Incontrast,probingforpolychaeteswaslimitedintime,andoccurredprimarilywhenthetidereachedtheupperintertidalzone,wherepeakdensitiesofScolelepissquamatawerefound.Basedonourobservations,weconservativelyestimatedthatduringeachtidalcyclethisbenthicspeciesmayprovideonly2.0–9.0%ofaSanderling'sdailyenergydemand.NumbersofSanderlingsappearedtobelowestwhencaptureratesonpolychaeteswerehighest.WethereforesuggestthatpolychaetesareofminorimportanceforSanderlingsforagingalongBelgianbeaches.

【 授权许可】

Unknown