Birds as Scavengers of Refuse in Uganda

Abstract

Summary Refuse tips, abattoirs and fishing villages provide an important source of food for several species of large scavenging birds in Uganda. The most numerous are Marabou Storks, Hooded Vultures, Black Kites and Pied Crows. Estimates of the populations of these species are given for Kampala, several smaller towns in Uganda and Rwenzori National Park (where there is an important fishing industry). Crows and kites are spread widely through Kampala and the population densities of both species exceed 12 km‐2 (the latter seasonally). On average there were about 200 Hooded Vultures at the Kampala abattoir and nearly as many Marabous at the refuse tips. Abattoirs and refuse tips in smaller towns often had proportionately higher populations of scavengers than Kampala. The food consumption of these birds is calculated to be nearly 100 t per year in Kampala and 800 t per year in Rwenzori National Park. It is suggested that although man, through his various activities, provides most of the food for these scavengers, they are beneficial to him in the sense that the food which they eat might otherwise become a health hazard.

Some Preliminary Observations on Abundance of Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) in Kerala, South India

“…Different types of carrion forms an important food item of this species but a variety of other live preys such as insects, reptiles, birds and small mammals, are also taken by this raptor (Nishant Kumar et al 2015). In urban areas, black kites are known to forage on human food scraps, garbage and mostly on waste dumps (Blanco, 1994;Pomeroy, 1975). They steal food from market stalls and even people.…”

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Microhabitat use by three species of egret (Pelecaniformes, Ardeidae) in southern Brazil

“…This relationship with human activities demonstrates the plasticity of this species (Leitão and Farinha, 1998), which uses a wide variety of habitats (Jenni, 1969;Pemeroy, 1975).…”