REN R205 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Common Goldeneye, Cowbird, Botulism
6 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Bird ecology: how birds interact with their environment, both living and non-living. Herbivory (although most are really omnivores: leaf-and-bud-eating (low quality, fruit-eating (fruigivory, higher quality, seed-eating (associated with conical bills, nectar-feeding (thus potential pollinators) Predation (most are generalists to some degree: on other birds, on mammals, on reptiles and amphibians, on fish (piscivores) Insectivores (including some raptors ), think in terms of feeding guilds: aerial insectivores, hawkers, gleaners, peckers, run-stop predators, probers, stalkers. Nest parasitism (brood parasitism) e. g. common goldeneye, redhead, brown-headed cowbird. Will lay its eggs with other songbirds" eggs, adults often associate with cattle. Generally take both living and non-living food, with a preference for carrion. Predators: other birds, mammals (foxes, reptile and amphibians, fish. Only on ant hills where ants spray formic acid: endoparasites (mostly worms ) Bacterial toxins (commonly botulism in shallow lakes) Both directly and indirectly (most people like birds) Almost all areas in na most birds are quite specific.
