La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	Diurnal behaviour of wintering Wigeon Anas penelope at Lac des Oiseaux, northeast Algeria
Auteurs :	M. Houhamdi, Auteur ; B. Samraoui, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Wildfowl (54 2003)
Article en page(s) :	51-62
Langues:	Anglais
Mots-clés :	Algérie
Résumé :	Over a period of four years, the diurnal behaviour of Wigeon Anas penelope was monitored at Lac des Oiseaux, a shallow freshwater lake, part of the Numidian wetland complex located in northeast Algeria. Wigeon arrive around late October and overwinter for 5-6 months, with numbers fluctuating between 200 and 3,000 birds. They occupy the central area of the lake and northwestern parts dominated by Bulrush Scirpus lacustris and Sea Club-rush S. maritimus, far from any human disturbance. Results show a seasonal change in behaviour throughout the study period and highlight the fact that feeding formed an important part of the birds' diurnal activities at Lac des Oiseaux, which is used both as a feeding area and a roost. These results differ from data obtained in parts of Europe, where feeding is mainly a nocturnal activity. Possible factors influencing the geographic variation in the diurnal behaviour of Wigeon are discussed.

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