| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 1996 |
| Authors: | Schaub, M |
| Journal: | Journal of Ornithology |
| Volume: | 137 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Date Published: | 1996 |
| ISBN Number: | 2193-7192 |
| Keywords: | Laniidae, Lanius, Lanius senator, Switzerland |
| Abstract: | The hunting behavior of Woodchat Shrike in Northern Switzerland was studied by visual observations of five pairs in 1994. Data on food supply were collected by standardized observations in half-circles of 1 m radius. During warm and dry weather the activity of the insects increased. More insects were seen in high than in short vegetation. The Woodchat Shrikes either hunted on the ground (64% of all hunting flights) or in the air (36%). The energy gain in ground-huntings was higher than in flycatching due to larger average prey size and a shorter hunting distance. Ground huntings occured mainly in areas with short vegetation (7 cm high on average). The birds only fed on arthropods, preferring larger seizes. During bad weather they were dependant also on smaller prey. The proportion of time the adults spent in flight was longest during the nestling season. In bad weather, hunting activity was slightly increased during incubation and nestling stage but low before incubation and after fledging of the young. For hunting over short vegetation the birds seemed to spent less time in flight than for hunting over high vegetation. |
| URL: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01653636 |
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