Report on Bird Ringing for Britain and Ireland for 1988

Mead, C. J.; Clark, Jacquie A.

doi:10.1080/03078698.1989.9673954

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Grey herons fly at 12.7 ± 1.71 m/s, travel up to 50 km daily between roosting and foraging sites, and migrate to other suitable habitats after the breeding season (Kushlan & Hancock, 2005;Pennycuick et al, 2013). Although the U.K. population of grey herons is partly resident (Kushlan & Hancock, 2005), long-distance recaptures include one individual ringed in Cheshire (north England) and recovered in midwinter in Iceland (Mead & Clark, 1993). Chicks ringed at one of our sampling sites in north England were generally recovered elsewhere in the U.K., and up to 138 km away (Christmas et al, 2010).…”

Section: Spatial Variation In Seed Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%

A predatory waterbird as a vector of plant seeds and aquatic invertebrates

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Omnivorous waterbirds play an important role in aquatic ecosystems as dispersal vectors via direct ingestion, transportation, and egestion of plant and invertebrate propagules (i.e. endozoochory). Predatory birds also have the potential to disperse plants and invertebrates that were first carried internally or externally by their prey animals. However, the potential contribution of predatory waterbird species to propagule dispersal in aquatic ecosystems remains understudied. We chose the grey heron Ardea cinerea (Ardeidae) to study the potential of predatory waterbirds to disperse propagules within and among aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesised that: (1) herons disperse a wide variety of plant and invertebrate propagules, from different habitats, with different morphologies (i.e. dispersal syndromes), and including both native and alien species; (2) propagules are ingested with prey species that are primary dispersal vectors (i.e., herons are secondary dispersers); (3) heron pellets show a similar abundance and richness of propagules across their widespread range. We collected 73 regurgitated heron pellets containing undigestible remains from 12 locations across the U.K. and The Netherlands, and examined the taxonomic diversity of plant seeds, invertebrates and prey remains. Pellets were dominated by mammal hairs (99% by volume), and bones confirmed the ingestion of small mammals (prevalence of 38%, e.g. water voles Arvicola amphibius), fish (14%), and birds or amphibians (6%). A total of 266 intact plant seeds were recovered from 71% of the pellets, representing 50 taxa from 17 plant families, including the alien Cotula coronopifolia. The cumulative number of plant species dispersed was lower at higher latitudes. Eight plant species recorded had not previously been recorded as dispersed via waterbirds, and only three species have an endozoochorous dispersal syndrome. Plant taxa were dominated by Caryophyllaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, and Poaceae, with 24 species from the littoral zone (Ellenberg moisture values of 7–12) and 21 terrestrial species (Ellenberg moisture values of 4–6). Intact invertebrate propagules were found in 30% of the pellets, dominated by Cladocera (Daphniidae) and Bryozoa (including the alien Plumatella casmiana). Our results demonstrate that grey herons disperse plant seeds and aquatic invertebrates widely in north‐western Europe. Herons regurgitate pellets that contain plant and invertebrate propagules from both aquatic or terrestrial habitats, for which secondary dispersal via ingestion along with prey is the likely underlying mechanism (i.e. propagules either attached to or in the digestive systems of the various prey). Our findings showcase the potential of predatory waterbirds as vectors of plants and invertebrates, and how they may facilitate connectivity between freshwater and terrestrial habitats.

show abstract

Section: Spatial Variation In Seed Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 99%