Interference Competition between Rails and Crakes (Rallidae) during Foraging in the Post-Breeding Season
In an old riverbed of the Tigris River near the city of Diyarbakir (SE Turkey), observations of foraging Rallidae were made in October 2004. Reciprocal reactions (aggression, mutual foraging) were noted between birds. A total of 20 cases of aggression were observed. The most frequent aggressor was the Water Rail. In an interaction between 2 Spotted Crakes, size difference between the birds was obvious. Three cases of collective foraging were seen: 2 Spotted Crakes, Spotted and Baillon´s Crakes, as well as Little and Baillon´s Crakes. Instances of Crakes and also Moorhens foraging at distances of 3-4 m from each other were common. The above observations show strong aggressive behavior in Water Rails and hint that territorialism in this species during the autumn migration or post-breeding dispersion exists. It is possible that birds of the genus Porzana are also territorial during the autumn migration, although the degree of reciprocal intolerance is moderate.
Anahtar Kelimeler:
Rallidae, Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus, Crake, Porzana, interaction, aggressive behavior
Interference Competition between Rails and Crakes (Rallidae) during Foraging in the Post-Breeding Season
In an old riverbed of the Tigris River near the city of Diyarbakir (SE Turkey), observations of foraging Rallidae were made in October 2004. Reciprocal reactions (aggression, mutual foraging) were noted between birds. A total of 20 cases of aggression were observed. The most frequent aggressor was the Water Rail. In an interaction between 2 Spotted Crakes, size difference between the birds was obvious. Three cases of collective foraging were seen: 2 Spotted Crakes, Spotted and Baillon´s Crakes, as well as Little and Baillon´s Crakes. Instances of Crakes and also Moorhens foraging at distances of 3-4 m from each other were common. The above observations show strong aggressive behavior in Water Rails and hint that territorialism in this species during the autumn migration or post-breeding dispersion exists. It is possible that birds of the genus Porzana are also territorial during the autumn migration, although the degree of reciprocal intolerance is moderate.
Keywords:
Rallidae, Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus, Crake, Porzana, interaction, aggressive behavior,
___
- Axel, H.E. 1952. Water Rail killing Wren. British Birds 55: 132.
- Barry, P. 1995. Water Rail stabbing a Common Snipe. British Birds 88: 224.
- Blundell, A.R. 1962. Water Rail drowning small Passerines. British Birds 55: 165.
- Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (Eds) 1980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 2. Oxford University Press, London.
- De Kroon, G.H.J. 1983. Over het voorkomen van de Waterral (Rallus aquaticus L.) op het Waddeneiland Vlieland, Het Vogeljaar. 31: 265-271.
- De Kroon, G.H.J. 2004. A comparison of two European breeding habitats of the Water Rail Rallus aquaticus. Acta Ornithol. 39: 21- 27.
- Glutz von Blotzheim, U.N., Bauer, K.M. and Bezzel, E. 1973. Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 5, Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main.
- Holliday, A.V. 1968. Water Rail killing and eating small passerines. British Birds 61: 264-265.
- Jenkins, R.K.B. 1999. The breeding biology of the Water Rail Rallus aquaticus in Britain and Ireland. Bird Study 46: 305-308.
- Jenkins, R.K.B., Buckton, S.T. and Ormerod, S.J. 1995. Local movements and population density of Water Rail Rallus aquaticus in a small inland reedbed. Bird Study 42: 82-87.
- Jenkins, R.K.B. and Ormerod, S.J. 2002. Habitat preferences of breeding Water Rail Rallus aquaticus. Bird Study 49: 2-10.
- King, B. 1980. Individual recognition and winter behaviour of Water Rails. British Birds 73: 33-35.
- Koenig, O. 1943. Rallen und Bartmeisen. Niederdonau. Natur und Kultur, Wien.
- Koenig, O. 1951. Das Aktionssystem der Bartmeise I und II. Oestereichische Zoologische Zeitschrift. III: 1-82, 247-325.
- Lehmann, C. 1980. Bemerkungen zum Nahrungserwerb der Wasserralle. Der Falke 27: 234-235.
- Myers, J.P., Connors, P.G. and Pitelka, F.A. 1979. Territoriality in non- breeding shorebirds. Studies in Avian Biology 2: 231-246.
- Page, D. 1977. Water Rail attacking Spotted Crake. British Birds 70: 120.
- Parrot, J. 1977. Baillon’s Crake feeding in wake of Water Rail. British Birds 70: 120-121.
- Polak, M. 2005. Temporal pattern of vocal activity of the Water Rail Rallus aquaticus and the Little Crake Porzana parva in the breeding season. Acta Ornithol. 40: 21-26.
- Recher, H.F. and Recher, J.A. 1969. Some aspects of the ecology of migrant shorebirds. II. Aggression. Wilson Bull. 81, 2: 140-154.
- Stawarczyk, T. 1986. Social strategies of waders (Charadrii) in non- breeding season. Przeglad Zoologiczny 1: 75-94.
- Steiof, K. 1999. Water Rail killing and eating wader. British Birds 92: 204.
- Taylor, B. and Van Perlo, B. 1998. Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World. Pica Press, Sussex.
- Thompson, A.G.G. 1962. Water Rail killing Little Stint and Eel. British Birds 55: 275.
- Williamson, K. 1949. Fair Isle Bird Observatory. Part 2. Migration. Scottish Nat. 61: 129-143.
- Wood, R.H. 1986. Water Rail feeding on passerines in garden. British Birds 79: 397-400.
- ISSN: 1300-0179
- Yayın Aralığı: Yılda 6 Sayı
- Yayıncı: TÜBİTAK
Sayıdaki Diğer Makaleler
A survey on the Brachyura (Crustacea, Decopoda) in the Dardanelles
Mehmet AKBULUT, A. Suat ATEŞ, E. Şanver ÇELİK
S. N. H. NAQVI, Rahila TABASSUM, m. fARHANULLAH khan
Farzana YOUSUF, Quddusi B. KAZMI, Farah ALI
Farzana YOUSUF, Farah ALI, Quddusi B. KAZMI
Michael HEETHOFF, Michael LAUMANN, Paavo BERGMANN
Şükran YILDIZ, Ahmet ALTINDAĞ, Mehmet Borga ERGÖNÜL
Orhan ERDOĞAN, Mustafa TÜRKMEN, Ayhan YILDIRIM, Halil İbrahim HALİLOĞLU