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1 July 2004 Food of the Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Nestlings: Differences Related to the Age of Nestlings and Sex of Feeding Parents
Krupa Małgorzata
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

The study was conducted in the Lake Karaś reserve (N Poland), where the density of Willow Warblers in osier and birch thickets reached 28.7–33.3 p/10 ha. Collar rings were used to collect the food brought to the nestlings. 487 food samples were collected from 26 nests, comprising 2573 food items. 167 of the samples were from females (652 individual food items), 95 from males (616 food items). The nestlings were fed mainly on Arthropoda (94.6%) and Mollusca (5.4%). The dominant food items were Diptera (29.8%), Homoptera (28.7%), Ephemeroptera (10.5%), Araneida (7.6%) and Trichoptera (6.5%). The composition of the dominant food items and the average mass of food deliveries changed markedly with nestling growth. The types of food brought by each sex also varied significantly. Males brought heavier portions of food consisting of larger numbers of lighter prey. However, the composition of these portions was not as diverse as those brought by females. This may be related to differences between males and females in their respective territories and foraging techniques.

Krupa Małgorzata "Food of the Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Nestlings: Differences Related to the Age of Nestlings and Sex of Feeding Parents," Acta Ornithologica 39(1), 45-51, (1 July 2004). https://doi.org/10.3161/068.039.0110
Received: 1 February 2004; Accepted: 1 April 2004; Published: 1 July 2004
KEYWORDS
age-related differences
food composition
nestling diet
parental provisioning
Phylloscopus trochilus
Willow Warbler
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