| 1. |
- Arzel, C., et al.
(författare)
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A flyway perspective of foraging activity in Eurasian Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca crecca
- 2007
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Ingår i: Canadian Journal of Zoology. - 0008-4301 .- 1480-3283. ; 85:1, s. 81-91
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Time-activity budgets in the family Anatidae are available for the wintering and breeding periods. We present the first flyway-level study of foraging time in a long-distance migrant, the Eurasian Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca crecca L., 1758 ("Teal"). Behavioral data from early and late spring staging, breeding, and molting sites were collected with standardized protocols to explore differences between the,sexes, seasons, and diel patterns. Teal foraging activity was compared with that of the Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos L., 1758 and Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata L., 1758, and the potential effects of duck density and predator-caused disturbance were explored. In early spring, foraging time was moderate (50.5%) and mostly nocturnal (45%). It increased dramatically in all three species at migration stopovers and during molt, mostly because of increased diurnal foraging, while nocturnal foraging remained fairly constant along the flyway. These patterns adhere to the "income breeding" strategy expected for this species. No differences between the sexes were recorded in either species studied. Teal foraging time was positively correlated with density of Teal and all ducks present, but negatively correlated with predator disturbance. Our study suggests that Teal, in addition to being income breeders, may also be considered as income migrants; they find the energy necessary to migrate at staging sites along the flyway.
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| 2. |
- Arzel, Céline, et al.
(författare)
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Average mass of seeds encountered by foraging dabbling ducks in western Europe
- 2007
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Ingår i: Wildlife Biology. - 0909-6396 .- 1903-220X. - 0909-6396 ; 13:3, s. 328-336
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many dabbling ducks Anas spp. are largely granivorous, consuming a variety of seeds chiefly from aquatic plants. To assess the relative value and carrying capacity of wetlands for dabbling ducks, species-specific information about seed mass is needed, but it is still largely missing or scattered in the literature. By combining weights of seeds collected in the field with a literature review, we provide a reference table for seed mass of 200 western European plant taxa frequently encountered by foraging dabbling ducks. Seeds collected in the field were sampled in microhabitats and at depths at which ducks were observed to forage, and study sites represent wintering, staging as well as breeding areas within a flyway in western Europe. When combined with calorimetric data, the present reference table will aid managers and scientists in assessing the importance of seed food resources at different sites and during different parts of the annual cycle.
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| 3. |
- Arzel, Céline, et al.
(författare)
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Ecology of spring-migrating Anatidae : a review
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Ornithology = Journal fur Ornithologie. - 0021-8375 .- 1439-0361. - 0021-8375 ; 147:2, s. 167-184
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spring migration is generally considered as a crucial period of the year for many birds, not the least due to its supposed importance for subsequent breeding success. By reviewing the existing literature for Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans), we show that little is known about their ecology in spring, although some goose species are exceptions. Another general pattern is that the ecology of Anatidae at staging sites is particularly neglected. Existing studies tend to focus on questions dealing with acquisition of nutrient reserves, whereas almost nothing has been published about stopover habitats, time use, microhabitat use, foraging behaviour, food availability, food limitation, diet selection, and interspecific relationships. Besides summarising present knowledge, we identify taxonomic groups and topics for which gaps of knowledge appear the most evident, thereby also highlighting research needs for the future.
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| 4. |
- Arzel, Celiné, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental functional response and inter-individual variation in foraging rate of teal (Anas crecca)
- 2007
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Ingår i: Behavioural Processes. - 0376-6357 .- 1872-8308. - 0376-6357 ; 75:1, s. 66-71
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The functional response, i.e. the change in per capita food intake rate per time unit with changed food availability, is a widely used too] for understanding the ecology and behaviour of animals. However, waterfowl remain poorly explored in this context. In an aviary experiment we derived a functional response curve for teal (Anas crecca) foraging on rice (Oryza sativa) seeds. We found a linear relationship between intake rate and seed density, as expected for a filter-feeder. At high seed densities we found a threshold, above which intake rate still increased linearly but with a lower slope, possibly reflecting a switch from filter-feeding to a scooping foraging mode. The present study shows that food intake rate in teal is linearly related to food availability within the range of naturally occurring seed densities, a finding with major implications for management and conservation of wetland habitats.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Arzel, Céline, et al.
(författare)
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Time use, foraging behavior and microhabitat use in a temporary guild of spring-staging dabbling ducks (Anas spp.)
- 2004
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Ingår i: Ornis Fennica. - 0030-5685. - 0030-5685 ; 81:4, s. 157-168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dabbling ducks were studied on a eutrophic mid-flyway staging site in spring. Six species made up a temporary guild, in order of decreasing abundance they were: Teal (Anas crecca), Shoveler (A. clypeata), Mallard (A. platyrhynchos), Wigeon (A. penelope), Pintail (A. acuta), and Garganey (A. querquedula). Species richness and total abundance peaked around 20 April, whereas guild evenness was highest after the staging peak. Time use during the staging peak differed between the sexes in Mallard, but not in the other species. Mallard spent the least time foraging, whereas Shoveler and Teal foraged the most. Foraging behavior differed among species; i.e. Wigeon was mainly on land, Shoveler mainly fed from the water surface, whilst Mallard and Teal were more generalist. For the guild as a whole, shallow inshore areas were overused compared to offshore habitats. Microhabitat use of foraging birds differed among species; Pintail and Shoveler mainly fed in the offshore end of the habitat gradient, whereas Teal, Garganey, female Mallard, and especially Wigeon used shallow microhabitats. Teal and female Mallard had the highest overlap in microhabitat use, Shoveler and Wigeon had the least. Abundance of invertebrate prey was low during the staging peak, but increased sharply thereafter. This study indicates that eutrophic mid-flyway sites may offer less food to staging birds than do breeding lakes to which many of them are headed.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Champagnon, Jocelyn, et al.
(författare)
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Changes in Mallard Anas platyrhynchos bill morphology after 30 years of supplemental stocking
- 2010
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Ingår i: Bird Study. - 0006-3657 .- 1944-6705. ; 57:3, s. 344-351
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Capsule Massive releases of captive-reared Mallard for hunting purposes have been practiced for 30 years. During this period the number of lamellae per centimetre of bill length in wild Mallard populations has decreased. Aims Every year since the 1970s, several million captive Mallard have been released in Europe. This may lead to a spread of unnatural phenotypes into the wild. Nevertheless, the consequences of such introductions have not been examined. Methods Two widespread and common migratory ducks were studied: Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Teal A. crecca. Mallard is the only duck species for which stocking programmes occur, and Teal served as a control. In a 'before-after' design, we compared duck bill lamellar density over the last 30 years. Results Lamellar density in Mallard, but not Teal, decreased. The observed 10% decrease occurred in the first (proximate) centimetre of the bill, the most crucial in terms of food filtration. Conclusions We hypothesize that the change in bill morphology was because of the propagation of captive Mallard into the wild: captive Mallard eat mainly large items, relaxing the natural selection pressure maintaining high lamellar density for sieving small prey in wild ducks.
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| 9. |
- Champagnon, Jocelyn, et al.
(författare)
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Consequences of massive bird releases for hunting purposes : mallard Anas platyrhynchos in the Camargue, Southern France
- 2009
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Ingår i: Wildfowl. - 0954-6324 .- 2052-6458. ; :Special issue 2, s. 184-191
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The release of captive-reared fish and game animals into the wild is a common management practice in Europe and North America. In Europe, millions of reared birds are released each year yet the consequences of these release programmes have received little attention. This paper describes the massive introduction of Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, a native migrant species released into the wild to increase the size of hunted populations. It provides the rationale for current and forthcoming experiments aimed at determining the effects of the augmentation of Mallard stocks on wild population genotype and survival rates.
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| 10. |
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