Kleptoparasitic strategies of Mallards towards conspecifics and Eurasian Coots
[ 1 ] Pracownia Badań Ornitologicznych, Muzeum i Instytut Zoologii PAN | [ P ] pracownik
2019
artykuł naukowy
angielski
EN We describe interspecific and intraspecific kleptoparasitic behaviour in MallardsAnas platyrhynchos, attempting to steal Zebra Mussels Dreissena polymorphafrom other Mallards and Eurasian Coots Fulica atra. Both Coots and Mallardswere most often attacked by Mallards perpetrating kleptoparasitic attacks whenthey handled large or intermediate-sized prey items. The probability of attackwas nearly halved when the foraging birds had small versus large prey items intheir bills. The overall probability of success of a kleptoparasitic attack waslowest when the attacked birds had small prey items, but higher if they had inter-mediate or large prey items. Kleptoparasitic attacks carried out on Coots weremore often successful than those on Mallards. The results suggest that theoptimal foraging theory, where animals tend to maximize net benefits, may beapplicable to kleptoparasitic behaviour.
110 - 114
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