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Trophic ecology of the Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis) in insular environments: the influence of altitude and seasonality

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Abstract

The seasonal diet and prey selection of the Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis) was studied in two different insular habitats: shrub environments of the Canary Islands in coastal and high mountain zones. We measured, in each season, food availability and prey size in order to determine prey size selection of shrikes along an altitudinal gradient. Moreover, we compared the diet patterns observed with those documented on the continent, to determine if Southern Grey Shrikes in the islands’ high mountain zone (which has a continental climate) showed seasonal diet variation similar to those in northern continental areas. We analysed a total of 1,139 shrike pellets collected in 1 year and identified 10,179 prey items. Numerically arthropods (91%), and in terms of biomass lizards (70%) were the main prey consumed by the shrikes. The proportions of the main prey items differed significantly between seasons and habitats. Diet in the coastal areas was less variable than in the high mountain zone. The greater seasonal climatic variation in the high mountain zone was associated with diet patterns similar to those found in some northern continental areas, such as the Iberian Peninsula and southern France. Finally, shrikes selected the largest prey in the high mountain habitat. This suggests that foraging behaviour in this species is related to climatic conditions, as the biggest and most profitable prey were consumed in the most harsh habitats.

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Acknowledgments

Many colleagues helped us with fieldwork, especially Beatriz Rumeu, Juan Carlos Illera and Patricia Marrero. Heriberto López and Antonio J. Pérez helped us to identify some arthropod remains, while Pedro Oromí allowed us to use the arthropod reference collection of the Department of Animal Biology-Zoology (University of La Laguna). Raquel Gutiérrez provided technical logistic support. Anna Traveset, Juan Carlos Illera, José Antonio Hódar, Antony W. Diamond, Robert L. Curry, Will Cresswell and Stefan Karlsson made useful suggestions that greatly helped us to improve the manuscript. Jairo Patiño and Celia García helped us with some analyses using the CANOCO statistical package. The Cabildos of Lanzarote and Tenerife, and the staff of Teide National Park (Organismo Autónomo de Parques Nacionales) gave us permission to work in the three protected areas. David P. Padilla is currently financed by a PhD grant awarded by the Canarian Government. This contribution was part of two projects, one financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (BOS2003-00044) and the other by the Canarian Government (PIO42004/037), both partially supported by the FEDER funds from the European Union. Our study complied with all the current laws of Spain.

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  1. Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

    D. P. Padilla, A. González-Castro, C. Nieves & M. Nogales

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  1. D. P. Padilla
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  2. A. González-Castro
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  3. C. Nieves
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  4. M. Nogales
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Correspondence to D. P. Padilla.

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Communicated by T. Friedl.

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Padilla, D.P., González-Castro, A., Nieves, C. et al. Trophic ecology of the Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis) in insular environments: the influence of altitude and seasonality. J Ornithol 150, 557–568 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-009-0381-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-009-0381-7

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