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Diet of chicks of Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis in the lower Soummam valley, Algeria
- Source :
- Ostrich. 83:99-104
- Publication Year :
- 2012
- Publisher :
- National Inquiry Services Center (NISC), 2012.
-
Abstract
- The diet of Cattle Egret chicks in the lower Soummam valley, Algeria, was investigated in 1998 and 2006, when 145 and 23 regurgitates were collected, respectively. In 1998, 1 698 individual prey items were identified. Insects formed the bulk of the diet of chicks: 94% in terms of frequency, 71% in terms of mass. Orthopterans were dominant, especially in terms of biomass (22% by frequency, 58% by mass), whilst Dipterans were well represented in numbers (59% by frequency). Vertebrates, despite their lesser frequency (3%), contributed 23% by mass of the diet. In 2006, 441 prey items were identified. The contribution of insects decreased to 79% by frequency and 15% by mass (mostly Orthopterans) but vertebrates made up a higher frequency: 20% of prey items and 85% by mass of the diet. The availability of prey items was not correlated to their occurrence in the diet, suggesting that the Cattle Egret is a selective predator, with adults selecting prey species for their chicks. A drought in the spring of 2006 inc...
Details
- ISSN :
- 1727947X and 00306525
- Volume :
- 83
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Ostrich
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........13cfcba5af0250893917f81f621c7549