Artikel-Suche

Hansruedi Wildermuth

Arthropoden im Nahrungsspektrum des Eisvogels Alcedo atthis.

2020

117

296–311

Key words
(von 1994 bis 2006 vergeben)

Nahrung, Beutetiere, Beutespektrum, Beutegrösse, Beutesubstrate, Verhalten, Nahrungssuche, Speiballen, Insekten, Flohkrebse (Amphipoda), Zehnfusskrebse (Decaopda), Eintagsfliegen (Ephemeroptera), Libellen (Odonata), Steinfliegen (Plecoptera), Wanzen (Heteroptera), Schlammfliegen (Megaloptera), Köcherfliegen (Trichoptera), Käfer (Coleoptera), Zweiflügler (Diptera), Frösche, Molche, Eidechsen, Kleinmuscheln, Wasserschnecken, Fische

Schlagwort_Vogelart
(wissenschaftlich)

Alcedo atthis

Schlagwort_Vogelart
(deutsch)

Eisvogel

Töss, Winterthur, Zürich, Schweiz

deutsch

Abhandlung

Arthropods in the diet of the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis. – The food of the Kingfisher mainly comprises small fish, rarely other aquatic vertebrates and occasionally also invertebrates, largely arthropods. While the diversity and the preferred size of fish prey has extensively been studied, comparatively little is known about the arthropod prey spectrum. The aim of this study was to learn more about the crustacean and insect prey, its origin and behaviour in respect to the Kingfisher as predator. Study site was the river Töss near Winterthur (canton of Zurich), a tributary of the river Rhine in the Swiss Plateau. Some of the captured prey was identified on photos and video films. More detailed information was obtained by the analysis of 160 regurgitated pellets that were collected outside the breeding burrow in springtime between 2010 and 2019. Altogether 1415 fragments of 442 prey items could be identified to species or genus level, in some cases only to famlily level yet. Almost half of the prey were water bugs, predominantly Backswimmers Notonecta sp., and one third consisted of dragonfly larvae comprising ten species, most of them Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator and Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum. The remaining 18 % were composed of two crustacean orders, mainly amphipods, and six insect orders, mayflies and stoneflies among them. The prey originated partly from the river and partly from ponds, depending on the breeding localities and the accessible hunting grounds. Based on direct observation and indirect inferences from pellet analyses the Kingfisher catches its prey usually by plunging into the water but he can also capture it from the water surface or the bottom. Terrestrial prey may be taken from vegetation, wet mud or dry sand and even from midair. This diurnal bird can also detect primarily nocturnal prey such as the larvae of the Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii when they are not completely burrowed in soft ground or occasionally move by day.