Espectro trofico, ritmo alimentario y selección de habitad del Pepitero plomizo, Saltator aurantiirostris (AVES: EMBERIZIDAE) en el río Paraná, Argentina.

BELTZER, H.; COMINI, B.; LATINO, S.; QUIROGA, M.

Paraná, Entre Ríos

Jornada; 59 Reunión de Comunicaciones Científicas de la Asoc. Cs. Nat. Litoral.; 1995

Asoc. Ciencias Naturales del Litoral

This study was undertaken to investigate the alimentary ecology of Saltator a. aurantiirostris by quantifyng the trophic spectrum, niche breadth, circadian alimentary activity rythm and habitat selection throughout the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter). Twenty three stomachs were studied, identifying and quantifying the organisms into different taxonomic levels. Results show an omnivore diet, Solanum  amigdalifolium and Acromirmex sp. being the prevailing organisms out of 23 taxonomic entities. The following values were obtained for the trophic niche breadth: 1.26 in spring, 2.64 in summer, 3.17 in autumn and 2.07 in winter. A bell standard was observed as regards the daily alimentary activity rythm, whereas the habitat preference index gave values higher than 0.48 for the forest and  0.42 gallery forest, revealing a marked preference for these environmental units. The obtained results show important advances in the knowledge of the alimentary biology of Saltator a. aurantiirostris, mainly those concerning the interactions between populations and the environment.