Fishing behaviour by Black Caracaras (Daptrius ater) in the Amazon

Abstract

The Black Caracara is a widespread raptor in the Amazonian lowlands, mostly associated to riverine habitats. This bird is considered as a generalist scavenger that occasionally takes small prey and feeds on fruit. Here we report on Black Caracaras foraging on live small fish caught while moving upriver in the Rio Roosevelt rapids in the Amazonas state, northwestern Brazil. Fish were picked individually either with the bill or talons in a stretch of shallow water plenty of aquatic plants. This fishing behaviour seems unreported and adds another feeding mode to the already diversified portfolio of foraging strategies for the Caracarini.

Principais caracteres da osteologia craniana de Milvago chimango (Vieillot, 1816) e Milvago chimachima (Vieillot, 1816) (Aves: Falconidae)

“…Um comportamento pescador é descrito para duas espécies, o Milvago chimachima e o Daptrius ater, que usam técnicas diferentes para capturar este tipo de presa (MONTEIRO-FILHO, 1995;OLMOS;SAZIMA, 2009). Olmos e Sazima (2009) reportaram o Milvago chimango se alimentando de peixes pequenos em um estuário no Chile, na Costa Paciica da América do Sul, um comportamento que parece não ter sido reportado e talvez não seja raro, ou uma tática restrita a esta espécie de falcão.…”

“…Olmos e Sazima (2009) reportaram o Milvago chimango se alimentando de peixes pequenos em um estuário no Chile, na Costa Paciica da América do Sul, um comportamento que parece não ter sido reportado e talvez não seja raro, ou uma tática restrita a esta espécie de falcão. A tática de "planar-pairar"' do M. chimango difere ligeiramente da tática de pesca adotada pelo pinhé (M. chimachima), espécie relacionada, que se lança sobre a presa a partir de um poleiro (MONTEIRO-FILHO, 1995;OLMOS;SAZIMA, 2009). …”

The Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango), an additional fisher among Caracarini falcons

“…Contrary to the 'perch to water' and 'glide-hover' techniques of the two preceding caracara species, Daptrius ater catches fish individually with its bill or talons while staying on a river bank ('ground foraging') (Olmos & Sazima 2009), in spite of the presumably close phylogenetic affinities between Milvago and Daptrius (Griffiths 1999, Griffiths et al 2004). The differences recorded for fishing behaviour between the two Milvago species and D. ater may perhaps be attributed to ecological features such as vegetation cover and hunting area location, as M. chimachima and M. chimango dwell mainly in open areas (the latter more so), whereas D. ater occurs in forested areas mostly along rivers and lakes (White et al 1994, Peres 1996, Sick 1997, Sazima 2007.…”

“…Additional field records may eventually indicate that the fishing Caracarini employ more than one technique to catch their prey, as indicated by Black Caracaras catching floating offal while on the wing (Olmos & Sazima 2009). However, we suspect that the fishing behaviour reported for the two Milvago species may be restricted to particular ecological conditions, and/or a few individuals or populations or, still, is a phenomenon localised in space and time, as already suggested for some behaviours of birds and other vertebrates (see comments in Sazima 2008).…”

“…However, fishing behaviour is described for two species, the Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimachima (Vieillot) and the Black Caracara Daptrius ater (Vieillot), which use different techniques to secure this prey type (Monteiro-Filho 1995, Olmos & Sazima 2009). Both species take advantage of almost anything edible, from fruits to small animals and carrion (White et al 1994, Sick 1997.…”