La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	Diet, body mass and condition of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni in South Africa
Auteurs :	P. C. Anderson, Auteur ; O. B. Kok, Auteur ; B. H. Erasmus, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Ostrich (70(2) SEP 1999)
Article en page(s) :	112-116
Langues:	Anglais
Résumé :	A total of 229 Lesser Kestrels Falco naumannt shot by airport personnel as part of their bird control programme, was obtained from the Bloemfontein and Kimberley airports during the 1984/85, 1985/86 and 1986/87 austral summers Analysis of stomach contents of non-breeding individuals visiting South Africa's Free State and Northern Cape Provinces indicated that Arthropoda comprise 90% of the diet, with Solifugae (30%), Orthoptera (23%), Chilopoda (20%) and Isoptera (10%) being the most important food items. Vertebrates were virtually absent from the diet. No sex-related dietary differences were found. Lesser Kestrels are opportunistic invertebrate feeders which mainly utilise available and most abundant prey species. Female birds are significantly heavier than males; but the latter maintain higher body fat reserves for the larger part bf their stay in South Africa.

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