Affiliation:
1. Institute of Wildlife Biology and Management, Faculty of Forestry , University of Sopron , 9400 Sopron, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca 4 ., Hungary
Abstract
Abstract
Based on the results of dietary surveys of the Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola L.) in 11 countries (Great Britain, Scotland, France, Italy, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, and Romania), 63 taxa (42 animal and 21 plant) were detected in Woodcock gizzard contents, of which the predominant dietary components were of animal origin. The composition of the dietary components varies only within a narrow spectrum, adapting to seasonal changes in the insect fauna and the supply of the area. Earthworms (Lumbricus spp.) represent the dominant proportion, also with larvae of Dermaptera, Myriapoda, Coleoptera taxa, and Diplopoda and Araneidae species being present in significant numbers. The mass fraction of plant components (mainly weed seeds) is low, with occasional occurrence of vegetative plant parts. The narrow species range of animal taxa recorded and the low proportion of plant dietary components clearly indicate that the Woodcock is a specialist species, and the availability of a few major dietary component taxa groups are a limiting factor in case of the Woodcock. Therefore, it is a major determinant of the diurnal, seasonal and annual movement patterns.
Subject
Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Reference45 articles.
1. Aradis, A., Verde, G. Lo. & Massa, B. 2019. Importance of millipedes (Diplopoda) in the autumn-winter diet of Scolopax rusticola. – European Zoological Journal 86(1): 452–457. DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2019.1611955
2. Bettmann, H. 1975. Die Waldschnepfe, 2. überarbeitete Auflage [The Woodcock, 2nd revised ed.]. – München: BLV Verlagsgesellschaft (in German)
3. Binet, F. 1993. Dynamique des neuplements et Fonctions des lombriciens en sols cultivés tempérés [Dynamics of earthworm populations and functions in temperate cultivated soils]. – PhD Thesis, University of Rennes. Rennes, France (in French)
4. Binet, F., Hallaire, V. & Curmi, P. 1997. Agricultural practices and the spatial distribution of earthworms in maize fields. Relationships between earthworm abundance, maize plants and soil compaction. – Soil Biology and Biochemistry 29(3–4): 577–583. DOI: 10.1016/S0038-0717(96)00182-4
5. Binet, F., Tréhen, P. & Deleporte, S. 1987. Approche experimentale par microcosme du fonctionnement d’un systtme interactif lombriciens/sol [Experimental approach by microcosm of an interactive system earthworm/soil]. – Revue d’ecologie et de Biologic du sol 24(4): 703–714. (in French)