Parrot claylick distribution in South America: do patterns of “where” help answer the question “why”?

Abstract

Geophagy is well known among some Neotropical parrots. The clay apparently adsorbs dietary toxins and/or provides supplemental nutrients. We used location data and 23 environmental layers to develop a predictive model of claylick distribution using Maxent software. We related species characteristics to claylick use and examined how parrot assemblages using claylicks changed with distance from the centre of claylick distribution. Fifty‐two parrot claylicks were reported from an area of ca 4 million km2 but over 50% were restricted to a 35 000 km2 region of southeast Peru and northern Bolivia. Claylicks were strongly associated with moist forest on younger (<65 millions of yr) geological formations and exposed river banks. The predictive model of claylick distribution matched our reported range well, with precipitation of warmest quarter, land cover, temperature seasonality, and distance from the ocean being most important predictors of claylick presence. Twenty‐six of the region's 46 parrot species visited claylicks. Species differed greatly in their lick use, but body size, dietary breadth, abundance and other traits were poor predictors of lick use. We are confident that our survey identified the distribution of major parrot claylicks in South America, although less conspicuous parrot geophagy may occur elsewhere. We suggest that claylick distribution reflects both underlying geology (allowing claylick formation in only some regions) and the physiological need for geophagy among parrots in different parts of the continent. Data on the latter are inconclusive, but we argue that parrot claylick distribution supports the contention that geophagy is related more to sodium deficiencies than to protection from dietary toxins.

Quantificação e descrição dos principais comportamentos de papagaios-chauá (Amazona rhodocorytha, Salvadori, 1890) cativos

“…Sugere-se que esse resultado esteja relacionado com a ideia de que a proporção de indivíduos ativos aumenta em locais onde os animais se sentem mais protegidos (Lazarus, 1972). Os papagaios em vida livre raramente vão ao solo, pois têm uma capacidade de deslocamento limitada nesse substrato, o que aumentaria o risco de serem predados (Brightsmith, 2002;Lee et al, 2010). Casos de psitacídeos andando no chão foram registrados por Brightsmith (2002) em uma região da Amazônia peruana onde algumas espécies de araras e papagaios ingeriam barro durante algumas horas do dia.…”

Geophagy in two parrot species in southern Pantanal, Brazil

“…Geophagy is reported for Anseriformes, Columbiformes, Passeriformes, Casuariiformes, Galliformes and Psittaciformes (review in Brightsmith 2004). Among these orders, the greatest number of records is for the Psittaciformes, various species of macaws, parrots and parakeets (Mee et al 2005, Symes et al 2006, Lee et al 2010.…”

Atmospheric salt deposition in a tropical mountain rainforest at the eastern Andean slopes of south Ecuador – Pacific or Atlantic origin?

“…The role of sea salt availability has very recently gained attentions, as it has been found to condition the behaviour of herbivores, in addition to affecting carbon cycling and organic matter decomposition in tropical ecosystems (Dudley et al, 2012;Kaspari et al, 2008Kaspari et al, , 2009Powell et al, 2009;Voigt et al, 2008). At the western rim of the Amazon forest, in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, there is evidence that herbivorous and frugivorous birds and mammals visit mineral licks to compensate for low sodium concentration in plant and fruit tissues (Lee et al, 2009;Lizcano and Cavelier, 2004;Powell et al, 2009;Voigt et al, 2008). Furthermore, some taxa of arthropod have reportedly begun practicing geophagy to deal with salt scarcity in plants (Kaspari et al, 2008).…”