Foraging behavior of Brazilian cormorant, Nannopterum brasilianus (Suliformes: Phalacrocoracidae)

By

Gheler-Costa, Carla
Comin, Fabio Henrique
Gilli, Letícia C.
Verdade, Luciano M. (Luciano Martins)

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018-7-3

Original Publication

MycoKeys

Volume

35

Pages

1--4

Subjects

Food biology , food stealing , foraging success , social behavior , wading birds

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2011-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.35.e14664

 

Abstract

Although the concept of optimal foraging has been extensively discussed, foraging efficiency is difficult to assess in vertebrates. In this study, we determined the foraging efficiency of the Brazilian cormorant,NannopterumbrasilianusGmelin, 1789, by the direct,ad libitumobservation of a group of four to thirteen individuals in an artificial pond at the University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Although this study was carried out in a highly anthropic environment, we can still conclude that the Brazilian cormorant is a relatively efficient browser and short-term diver. In anthropic environments, foraging success depends on the amount of time these birds spend diving, and stealing food is less common. Stealing occurs at relatively low rates but tends to be an efficient way to get food.