Diet and feeding behaviour of Grey Plovers Pluvialis squatarola and Redshanks Tringa totanus in a southern European estuary

Full article

Published:

Volume 43(2), December 1996. Pages 145-156.

Language:

English

Keywords:

feeding ecology, Pluvialis squatarola, Tagus estuary, Tringa totanus.

Abstract:

This study presents the first data on the feeding ecology of Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola and Redshank Tringa totanus in the Tagus estuary (Portugal). Redshank and Grey Plover intake rates were, respectively, 18.7 mg AFDW/min and 20.6 mg AFDW/min. The main preys of the Redshank were Hydrobia ulvae, Nereis diversicolor and bivalve siphons, but the relative importance of these prey varied between areas. The Grey Plover fed mainly upon Nereis diversicolor, which constituted at least 85% of the total ingested biomass. The ingestion of Scrobicularia plana siphons was observed in both species and was particularly important in Redshank, where in some areas it constituted more than half of the total ingested biomass. Grey Plover generally ingested larger prey than Redshank, with the average size of Nerels, Hydrobia and Scrobicularia siphons taken being respectively, 50.5 mm and 35.3 mm, 2.0 mm and 1.8 mm, and 20.4 mm and 15.0 mm.