Fish prey selection by the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis in Northern Iberia

• Autorzy: Vilches A. , Miranda R. , Arizaga J.

Warianty tytułu

PL

Wybiórczość pokarmowa zimorodka w północnej Hiszpanii

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis is a fish-eating predatory bird that is reported to prey mainly on pelagic, benthic, or both types of fish prey. It still remains unclear whether the species has the capacity to prey indistinctly on all types of fish, regardless of their position within the water column. The aim of our study was to test if kingfishers are able to select particular fish prey or if, by contrast, they feed on the most abundant and accessible fish. We identified the fish prey consumed by kingfishers at 14 nests in total, and also sampled, using electrofishing surveys, fish prey availability on the river stretches where the nests were located. We used Savage's index in order to check whether there was prey selection. Overall, kingfishers preyed upon eight fish species: Bermejuela Acondrostoma arcasii, Bleak Alburnus alburnus, Pyrenean Stone Loach Barbatula quignardi, Ebro Barbel Luciobarbus graellsii, Pyrenean Gudgeon Gobio lozanoi, Ebro Nase Parachondrostoma miegii, Pyrenean Minnow Phoxinus bigerri, and Brown Trout Salmo trutta. The most consumed prey were pelagic species (Pyrenean Minnow and Brown Trout). These results suggest that the Kingfisher preys on pelagic species because of their accessibility and avoids bottom-dwelling species, which may remain hidden from this predator, kingfishers preyed mostly on fish of 50 to 60 mm in length, but mean size values varied prey-specifically, possibly because of the vertical specific distribution in relation to the fish age and species and, finally, prey availability.

PL

Zimorodek jest ptakiem rybożernym, który w danej populacji poluje głównie na ryby pelagiczne, bentosowe lub na oba typy ryb równocześnie. Nie zostało jednak dotychczas zbadane, czy zimorodek poluje na swoje ofiary wybiórczo. Celem pracy było określenie, czy zimorodki polują na określoną zdobycz, czy też chwytają ryby najliczniejsze i najłatwiej dostępne. Badania prowadzono w latach 2008-2009, w północnej Hiszpanii (prowincja Navarra, Fig. 1), na odcinkach sześciu rzek o zbliżonej charakterystyce (Tab. 1). Identyfikowano ryby przynoszone przez zimorodki jako pokarm dla piskląt w 14 gniazdach. Po sezonie lęgowym wyciągano resztki z gniazd, na podstawie których identyfikowano ryby do gatunku i klasy wielkości (m.in. po kształcie i wielkości zębów gardłowych). Aby określić dostępność ryb dla ptaków, w okresie lęgowym zimorodków (czerwiec-sierpień) prowadzono elektro- połowy w trzech miejscach — blisko gniazda i w odległości ok. 1 km w dół i górę rzeki. Ryby określano do gatunku, klasyfikowano jako bentosowe lub pelagiczne oraz mierzono. W analizach uwzględniano tylko osobniki o długości poniżej 10 cm, ponieważ większe osobniki rzadko padają ofiarą zimorodków. Stwierdzono, że zimorodki polowały na 8 gatunków ryb, głównie karpiowatych. Były to: ukleja, karp, śliz Barbatula quigtiardi, brzana Luciobarbus graellsii, kiełb Gobio lozanoi, strzebla Phoxinus bigerri, Parachondrostoma miegii, Acondrostoma arcasii, oraz pstrąg potokowy Te same gatunki były odnotowane w elektropołowach (Tab. 2, 3). Z analiz wyłączono karpia i ukleje, w związku z bardzo małym udziałem w pokarmie (karp) lub rzadkim występowaniem (tylko w dwóch rzekach) i trudnościami w połowie (ukleja). Zimorodki chwytały częściej ryby pelagiczne niż żyjące bliżej dna (Tab. 2. Fig. 2), o długości ciała 50-60 mm, choć wielkość zdobyczy zależna była od gatunku ryb (Tab. 3, Fig. 3). Uzyskane wyniki wskazują, że ryby bentosowe są mniej dostępne dla zimorodków, co może być związane z charakterystyką badanych rzek. Uzyskane wyniki mogą być związane zarówno z pionowym rozmieszczeniem gatunków, jak i pionowym rozmieszczeniem poszczególnych klas wiekowych ryb.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Ornithologica
• Rocznik: 2012
• Tom: 47
• Numer: 2
• Opis fizyczny: p.169-177,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Vilches A.

• Department of Zoology and Ecology, University of Navarra, Irunlarrea 1, E-31080 Pamplona, Spain
• Department of Ornithology, Aranzadi Sciences Society, Zorroagagaina 11, E-20014 San Sebastian, Spain

autor

Miranda R.

• Department of Zoology and Ecology, University of Navarra, Irunlarrea 1, E-31080 Pamplona, Spain

autor

Arizaga J.

• Department of Ornithology, Aranzadi Sciences Society, Zorroagagaina 11, E-20014 San Sebastian, Spain

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