Behavioural Plasticity in Foraging Mode of Typical Plovers

[摘要] Theforagingbehaviouroftypicalploversishighlystereotyped,andshort-billedploversallforagevisuallyinarun—stop—searchmanner.Todate,theuseofasandpiper-likeforagingmethodbytypicalploversisconsideredanecdotalinnon-breedingplovers,sinceonlyonestudyhasdescribedGreyPloversPluvialissquatarolaforagingassandpipersdo,stridingslowlyandpeckingatthewatersurfaceduringshortperiods.WestudiedthebehaviourandintakerateofGreyandRingedPloversCharadriushiaticulaforaginglikesandpipersonsuspendedpreyitemsinthewatercolumnofhypersalinepans,andinvestigatedfactorsthatmayinfluencetheiroccurrence.Thefeedingratewas48.9±18.0(SD)and19.1±6.3preymin-1forRingedandGreyPlover,respectively.ForRingedPlovers,thenetintakeratewas0.23±0.05kJmin-1,andforGreyPlovers0.09±0.01kJmin-1.Thesandpiper-likeforagingmethodwasparticularlyimportantforRingedPlovers,sinceupto24%ofthepopulationforagedinthiswayathightide.Wefoundthatthesandpiper-likeforagingmethodisacommonforagingmethodinRingedPloverfeedinginprey-abundantpansandisoccasionallyusedbyGreyPloversaswell.Weshowedthatbehaviouralplasticityinforagingmethodsoftypicalploversmaybegreaterthanhasbeenassumedpreviously.Theseresultssuggestthattypicalploverscansuccessfullylocateandcapturesmallpreyitemswhilewalkingcontinuouslyandwithouttheneedtostoptoimprovevisualacuity.

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] Waders