Perch selection of three species of kingfishers at the Pantanal wetland, Brazil

Abstract

Animal movement and behavior depend on the distribution of resources on the habitat. Therefore, individual animals are constantly making decisions on resource selection based on different attributes of the resource or its associated environmental variables. For fish-eating birds as kingfishers, selecting a suitable perch can report many benefits, as improving fishing success or reducing predation risk. Nowadays, not only natural structures, as branches, are available for birds to perch but also artificial ones, as electric lines. Thus, we aimed to understand which variables drive kingfishers perch selection, including the potential effect of its anthropic origin. We studied perch selection of three species of kingfishers inhabiting the Pantanal of Miranda of Brazil: Megaceryle torquata, Chloroceryle amazona and Chloroceryle americana. They feed in temporary ponds that are rich in trophic resources, where they have both natural and artificial potential perches. We hypothesized that artificial perches could be strongly selected, as they are more stable than natural ones and go through the ponds, providing a long surface to select optimal conditions. We assessed how kingfishers are selecting perches based on four ecologically relevant traits: (1) being artificial or natural, (2) perch height, (3) distance to the water, and (4) plant cover. We used a resource selection function (RSF) approach to quantify the effect of these variables in the probability of presence of kingfishers. The artificial origin of a perch was independent of the probability of selection for the three species. Furthermore, birds acted randomly to the other studied variables, except for individuals of C. amazona, which select higher perches, above 3.20 m. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding the behavioral ecology and use of space of neotropical kingfishers, and how this affects their vulnerability to human habitat alterations.

Spatial Biodiversity of Birds in Land Covers of Wetlands on Jakarta’s North Coast

“…On Jakarta's Coast, mangrove litter was only available in the protected forest and wildlife reserve where the mangrove covers and trees were still available. The preferences of the kingfisher birds on particular land covers, besides food availability, are related to the perching ecology or environmental variables include food and vegetation required when kingfisher birds forage in a high position or in a position near the edge of water bodies (Peinado & Ortega, 2020). In this study, kingfisher species belonging to the Alcedinidae preferred the central and east parts of the Jakarta's Coast, in spite of the fact that there were plenty of fish available in fish ponds in the west parts due to the availability of trees for perching.…”

“…In this study, kingfisher species belonging to the Alcedinidae preferred the central and east parts of the Jakarta's Coast, in spite of the fact that there were plenty of fish available in fish ponds in the west parts due to the availability of trees for perching. Only the protected forest in the central and wildlife reserve in the east parts of the coast that still had mangrove stands required by kingfisher species to perch while foraging (Peinado & Ortega, 2020).…”