TY - JOUR
T1 - Saving the best for last
T2 - Differential usage of impaled prey by red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) during the breeding season
AU - Morelli, Federico
AU - Bussière, Raphaël
AU - Goławski, Artur
AU - Tryjanowski, Piotr
AU - Yosef, Reuven
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2015/10/1
Y1 - 2015/10/1
N2 - We compared the prey composition of the red-backed shrike's (Lanius collurio) larders in agricultural habitats in Italy, France and Poland. This species exhibits the behaviour of impaling prey in larders, a behaviour attributed not only to storing food, but also as a social indication for sexual selection and/or demarcation of territories.A total of 426 impaled items were identified in 244 larders. Most common prey were identified for each country: Insecta (Hymenoptera) in Italy, Amphibia, Insecta (Diptera) and Clitellata in Poland, and Insecta (Orthoptera, Lepidoptera) in France. We found no relationship between type of prey impaled and height of impalement, however, we noted a negative relationship between the height of impalement and the distance to the nearest road. Furthermore, impaled toxic prey were found in all three countries, strengthening the possibility that prey are exposed to expedite the degradation of toxins or used as a social signal.Our results showed that the average weight of impaled prey was greater during the last reproductive stage (hatching and feeding young), providing evidence of differential usage of impaled prey during the breeding season. We therefore hypothesize that larger animals provide more energy, then vertebrates are preferred to invertebrates, especially when parents are feeding their nestlings.
AB - We compared the prey composition of the red-backed shrike's (Lanius collurio) larders in agricultural habitats in Italy, France and Poland. This species exhibits the behaviour of impaling prey in larders, a behaviour attributed not only to storing food, but also as a social indication for sexual selection and/or demarcation of territories.A total of 426 impaled items were identified in 244 larders. Most common prey were identified for each country: Insecta (Hymenoptera) in Italy, Amphibia, Insecta (Diptera) and Clitellata in Poland, and Insecta (Orthoptera, Lepidoptera) in France. We found no relationship between type of prey impaled and height of impalement, however, we noted a negative relationship between the height of impalement and the distance to the nearest road. Furthermore, impaled toxic prey were found in all three countries, strengthening the possibility that prey are exposed to expedite the degradation of toxins or used as a social signal.Our results showed that the average weight of impaled prey was greater during the last reproductive stage (hatching and feeding young), providing evidence of differential usage of impaled prey during the breeding season. We therefore hypothesize that larger animals provide more energy, then vertebrates are preferred to invertebrates, especially when parents are feeding their nestlings.
KW - Breeding stage
KW - Food resource
KW - Laniidae
KW - Larder
KW - Prey item
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84938072733&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.07.006
DO - 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.07.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 26200393
AN - SCOPUS:84938072733
SN - 0376-6357
VL - 119
SP - 6
EP - 13
JO - Behavioural Processes
JF - Behavioural Processes
ER -