Birds at a feeder in an urban garden in Venezuela: abundances, interactions and fruit preferences
Pájaros en un comedero de un jardín urbano en Venezuela: abundancias, interacciones y preferencias de frutas
Abstract
From December 2019 to May 2020 the birds visiting a feeder with fruits were recorded. Six trials were performed, varying the location of the feeder (at open sky or under a tree canopy) or the two pieces of fruits offered (selected among banana, plantain, papaya or mango), which were placed in contact in the center of the feeder or separated toward its corners. The video recordings were watched to identify and quantify the number of species and individuals visiting the feeder and their fruit preferences. The hierarchies and the degree of exclusivity (monopoly) in the use of the feeder (%Exc) were analyzed to determine their relationships with the weight of the birds. The effects of the placing of the fruit pieces and of the feeder itself on the frequency of visits were also analyzed. Sixteen species went down to the feeder for a total of 2493 visits. The Blue-gray Tanager, the Pale-breasted Thrush, and the Tropical Mockingbird jointly represented 66% of the total time spent at the feeder, whereas eight species together represented less than 10% of that time. The frequency of visits (v/h) and the time spent at the feeder per recording hour (min/h) varied widely among trails. There was a positive correlation of the hierarchies and the %Exc with the weight of the birds (n=12; rs = 0.745, P =0.005, y rs = 0.731, P =0.007, respectively). The v/h increased when the pieces of fruits were located separated in the feeder but were not affected by the position of the feeder. When two types of fruits were offered simultaneously to the birds, always three or more species showed preference for one of them. The frequency of visits and the time spent at the feeder by each species varied widely depending on the fruit offered and hierarchical interrelations among the birds.
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