Foraging Ecology of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Great Egret (Ardea alba) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) in Response to Habitat, at 2 Greek Wetlands

Dimalexis, A.; Pyrovetsi, Myrto; Sgardelis, Stefanos P.

doi:10.2307/1521692

Cited by 33 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Several ornithological studies have elucidated the impact of climatic factors on the feeding behavior of waterbirds (Quinney and Smith 1980;Hafner et al 1982;Dimalexis et al 1997). Our findings are similar to those of Rodgers (1983) and Bates and Ballard (2014).…”

Section: Grey Heron Great Egret Little Egretsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Although many authors have investigated the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on heron foraging behavior (Kersten et al 1991;Maccarone and Brzorad 2000;Wong et al 2000;Campos and Lekuona 2001), few studies have focused on the effects of weather and habitat characteristics on foraging behavior (Quinney and Smith 1980;Hafner et al 1982;Dimalexis et al 1997). In this study, we investigated the seasonal differences in the foraging behavior of three North African heron species, as it is mediated by habitat and environment in Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

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Environmental Factors Affecting the Foraging Behavior of Herons in Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia

Nefla¹,

Nouira²

2016

Waterbirds

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Section: Grey Heron Great Egret Little Egretsupporting

confidence: 86%

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Environmental Factors Affecting the Foraging Behavior of Herons in Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia

Nefla¹,

Nouira²

2016

Waterbirds

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“…There is considerable disagreement among studies of sympatric wading birds regarding the degree to which species segregate along niche axes of habitat (Jenni 1969, Kushlan 1976, Willard 1977, Hom 1983, Kushlan et al 1985, Kent 1986, Frederick and Bildstein 1992, Ramo and Busto 1993, Fasola 1994, Chavez-Ramirez and Slack 1995, Smith 1995, Strong et al 1997, water depth (Meyerriecks 1960, Kushlan 1976, Willard 1977, Custer and Osborn 1978, Hom 1983, Powell 1987, DuBowy 1996, Dimalexis et al 1997, prey type (Willard 1977, Kushlan et al 1985, Kent 1986, Frederick and Bildstein 1992, Ramo and Busto 1993, Fasola 1994, Smith 1997), prey size (Willard 1977, Kushlan 1981, Hom 1983, Kushlan et al 1985, Kent 1986, Frederick and Bildstein 1992, Ramo and Busto 1993, Fasola 1994, Trexler et al 1994, Smith 1997, and behavior (Kushlan 1976...…”

Section: Feeding Tactics In Response To Prey Availabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Prey Availability on the Numerical Response of Wading Birds

Gawlik

2002

Ecological Monographs

279

264

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Reduced prey availability has emerged as a primary hypothesis to explain population constraints on wading birds in numerous wetlands around the world. However, there is almost no understanding of which component of prey availability (i.e., prey density or vulnerability of prey to capture) is affecting populations and whether the relative effects of each component differ among species. In this study, I manipulated prey density and water depth (i.e., prey availability) in 12 0.2‐ha ponds to determine their relative effects on the numeric response of eight species of free‐ranging wading birds (White Ibis, Eudocimus albus; Wood Stork, Mycteria americana; Snowy Egret, Egretta thula; Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus; Great Egret, Ardea alba; Tricolored Heron, Egretta tricolor; Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias; and Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea). The experiment was conducted in a constructed wetland adjacent to, and west of, the northern tip of the remnant Everglades, in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. Each pond was set to a water depth of 10 cm, 19 cm, or 28 cm, and was stocked with golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) at a density of either 3 fish/m2 or 10 fish/m2. Total bird use (all treatments pooled) increased from day 1 (day after stocking) to day 6, stabilized for several days at ∼280 birds, and then decreased until day 16, when bird use nearly ceased. Fish were depleted most rapidly in the shallow treatment and least rapidly in the deep treatment. The giving‐up‐density (GUD) of prey increased with increasing water depth. There was no significant difference among species in the slope of that relationship; however, a visual inspection of the data showed that differences in GUDs were becoming more apparent in the deepest treatment. At that depth, the White Ibis, Wood Stork, and Snowy Egret had higher GUDs than did the Glossy Ibis, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, Great Blue Heron, and Little Blue Heron. Also, the first three species were affected significantly by both prey density and water depth, whereas the latter five species showed a decidedly weaker response to one or the other component of prey availability. The first three species were more abundant in the shallow treatments and the high prey density treatments, and they abandoned the study site before other species reached their maximum density. The feeding strategy of the first group appeared to be one of searching for new high‐quality food patches rather than staying and exploiting food patches that were declining in quality. Species that employed a searching strategy also have shown the most severe population declines, suggesting that factors affecting bird density at feeding sites may also have affected population size.

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“…Similarly, the foraging efficiency of great egrets at catfish (0.58 cis; Ross 1994) and hairfish aquaculture facilities (0.6 cis, this study) is high relative to ihul o b~r v s d by R~d g s r s (1",03; 0.11 its) d i d Dimalexis et al (1997;0.54 cis).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Foraging Behavior and Monetary Impact of Wading Birds at Arkansas Baitfish Farms

Werner

Harrel

Wooten

2007

Journal of the World Aquaculture Society

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— We conducted foraging observations, food habits studies, and producer surveys to determine the foraging behavior and monetary impact of great blue herons Ardea herodas, great egrets A. alba, and little blue herons Egrerra caerulea foraging at Arkansas baiffish farms. Although great egrets captured most baitfish/minute, captures/strike were nearly identical among the three wading bird species. American gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum, goldfish Carassius auratus, and giant water bugs Hemiptera: Belostomatidae were collected from the gastro‐intestinal tract of great blue herons. Only golden shiners Noremgonus crysoleucas and goldfish were found in great egrets. We found dragonflies Odonata, golden shiners, green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus, and water bugs in little blue herons. In contrast to other birds collected, snowy egrets E. thula were found to contain mosquito fish Gambusia affinis. Among 2,742 teleost otoliths recovered from collected great blue herons, great egrets, and little blue herons, most otoliths belonged to the Cyprinidae family (including the baiffishes). Surveyed farm managers use various auditory and visual stimuli to disperse fish‐eating birds from their farms. Surveyed baitfish farmers suggested that the average cost of their annual bird harassment program was $11,580 at relatively small farms (< 202 ha) and $104,560 at relatively large × 202 ha) baitfish aquaculture facilities. We estimated the replacement cost of baitfish consumed by wading buds based upon their daily food requirements, the food habits of herons and egrets at baiffish farms, the hypothetical abundance of wading birds at a particular baitfish farm (relative to survey results), the duration of herons and egrets reported by farm managers, and current baitfish market values.

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Foraging Ecology of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Great Egret (Ardea alba) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) in Response to Habitat, at 2 Greek Wetlands

Cited by 33 publications

References 0 publications

Environmental Factors Affecting the Foraging Behavior of Herons in Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia

Environmental Factors Affecting the Foraging Behavior of Herons in Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia

The Effects of Prey Availability on the Numerical Response of Wading Birds

Foraging Behavior and Monetary Impact of Wading Birds at Arkansas Baitfish Farms

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