Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Diet composition and food consumption of the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) from breeding colonies in northern Poland

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Wildlife Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The diet of the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) was investigated in three colonies in northern Poland (Mosty, Kiersity and Kąty Rybackie) varying in size, habitat type and composition of feeding areas used by birds. The diet was assessed during the breeding season on the base of pellets and regurgitated food. Pellets from all studied colonies consisted mainly of mammal hair (almost 100% of samples), bone remains (20–24%) and invertebrate remains (26–51%, mainly water beetle, Dytiscus marginalis). Bones and hair of water vole (Arvicola terrestris) and Microtus voles were the most common remains of mammals recorded in pellets. Remains of other animal taxa were found sporadically. In the colonies at Mosty and Kiersity, fish composed more than 95% of collected regurgitated prey items. Food consumption of herons from the biggest colony at Kąty Rybackie was estimated to exceed 100 t per season. Herons from Mosty consumed ca 46–52 t, from Kiersity 30–38 t of food per season. The impact of herons on fish communities was much lower than other losses due to predation (herons from Kąty Rybackie caught only 6% of fishermen bycatch, birds from Mosty took 10–14% of round gobies eaten by cormorants).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams CE, Mitchell J (1995) The response of a grey heron Ardea cinerea breeding colony to rapid change in prey species. Bird Study 42:44–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Aeschlimann A (1982) The key to identification of mammals’ hair. Institute of Zoology, University De Nauchtel

  • Andone G, Almasan H, Rudu D, Andone L, Chirac E, Sclarletescu G (1969) Cercetare asupra pasarilor ichiofage din delta Dunarii. Inst Cercet Pisc Studi si Cercetari 27:133–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous (1984) Le Héron cendré et la pêche. Les cahiers de la pêche 42. Office Fédéral de la protection de l’environnement, Berne, Suisse

  • Ashkenazi S, Yom-Tov Y (1993) Herons and fish farming in the Huleh Valley, Israel. A matter of conflict or mutual benefit? In: Colonial Waterbird Society Meeting Abstracts, 6–10 October 1993, Arles, France:28

  • Bzoma S (1998) The contribution of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1811) to the food supply of cormorants (Phlacrocorax carbo Linnaeus, 1758) feeding in the Puck Bay. Bull Sea Fisheries Inst 144:39–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Bzoma S (2004) Kormoran Phalacrocorax carbo (L.) w strukturze troficznej ekosystemu Zatoki Gdańskiej. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Gdańsk, Poland

  • Carss DN (1993) Grey heron, Ardea cinerea L., predation at cage fish farms in Argyll, western Scotland. Aquaculture and Fisheries Management 24:29–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Cramp S (1998) The Complete Birds of the Western Palearctic on CD-ROM. Oxford University Press, Software©Optimedia

    Google Scholar 

  • Creutz G (1964) Ernährungsweise, Nahrungswahl und Abwehr des Graureihers (Ardea cinerea L.). Zoologische Abhandlungen Museum Tierkunde Dresden 237:29–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Creutz G (1981) Der Graureiher Ardea cinerea. Neue Brehm-Bücherei No. 530. Wittenberg

  • Dementiev GP, Gladkov NA (eds) (1951) Pticy Sovetskogo Sojuza Sovietskaja Nauka, Moskwa

  • Draulans D, Perremans K, van Vessem J, Pollet M (1987) Analysis of pellets of the grey heron Ardea cinerea, from colonies in Belgium. J Zool Soc Lond 211:659–708

    Google Scholar 

  • Dziurdziuk B (1973) Klucz do oznaczania włosów ssaków Polski. Acta Zool Cracov 18:73–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Engelhardt W (1998) Przewodnik. Flora i fauna wód śródlądowych. Multico, Warszawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Feunteun E, Marion L (1994) Assessment of grey heron predation on fish communities: the case of the largest European colony. Hydrobiologia 279/280:327–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fischbacher M (1984) Standortwahl des Graureihers Ardea cinerea an kleineren Fliessgewässern. Orn Beob 81:133–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Geiger C (1983) Recherches sur les difficultés liées au héron cendré. Office Fédéral de la protection de l’environnement, Berne, Suisse. Les cahiers de la pêche No. 41

  • Geiger C (1984a) Graureiher Ardea cinerea und Fischbestand in Fliessgewässern. Orn Beob 81:111–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Geiger C (1984b) Jagdaktivitat und Tagesperiodik des Graureihers Ardea cinerea an kleineren Gewässern im Sommer- und Winterhalbjahr. Orn Beob 81:99–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory SN (1990) The foraging ecology and feeding behaviour of the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) in the Camargue, S. France. Ph.D. thesis. University of Durham, England

  • Hutcheson K (1970) A test for comparing diversities based on the Shannon formula. J Theor Biol 29:151–154

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ilitchev VD, Miheev AW (eds) (1986) Zhyzn zhyvotnyh. Ptitcy. Prosveschenie, Moskva

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakubas D (2003) Czynniki wpływające na ekologię rozrodu czapli siwej Ardea cinerea L. – porównanie 4 kolonii lęgowych w północnejPolsce. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Gdańsk, Poland

  • Jakubas D (2004) The response of grey heron to rapid increase of the round goby. Waterbirds 27:304–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakubas D (2005) Factors affecting the breeding success of the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) in northern Poland. J Ornithol 146:27–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krebs CJ (1996) Ecology. The experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. 4th edn. HarperCollins College Publishers

  • Kushlan JA (1976) Wading bird predation in a seasonally fluctuating pond. Auk 93:464–476

    Google Scholar 

  • Kushlan JA, Hafner H (eds) (2000) Heron conservation. Academic, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Lekuona JM (2001) Variations in food composition and foraging behaviour of grey heron Ardea cinerea in Aragon river (Northern Spain) during the breeding season. Anu Ornit de Navarra 1999, 6:19–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Lekuona JM (2002) Food intake, feeding behaviour and stock losses of cormorants, Phalacrocorax carbo, and grey herons, Ardea cinerea, at fish farm in Arcachon Bay (Southwest France) during breeding and non-breeding season. Folia Zool 51:23–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Makrycki W (1994) Pokarm czapli siwej z kolonii lęgowej w Kątach Rybackich. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, Univ. of Gdańsk

  • Marion L (1990) Activités piscicoles et oiseaux piscivores: quels moyens de protection? L’Oiseau Mag 19:22–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Marquiss M, Leitch AF (1990) The diet of grey herons Ardea cinerea breeding at Loch Leven, Scotland, and the importance of their predation on ducklings. Ibis 132:535–549

    Google Scholar 

  • Martyniak A, Poczyczyński P, Wziątek B, KozłowskiJ, Murawska E (2002) Plan ochrony ichtiofauny jeziora Druzno. In: Nitecki C (ed) Plan ochrony rezerwatu przyrody “Jezioro Drużno”. Unpublished report, WydziałOchrony Środowiska Warmińsko-Mazurskiego Urzędu Wojewódzkiego w Olsztynie

  • Milstein PL, Prestt I, Bell AA (1970) The breeding cycle of the grey heron. Ardea 58:171–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Moltoni E (1936) Le garzaie in Italia. Riv Ital Orn 6:109–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Moser ME (1986) Prey profitability for adult grey herons Ardea cinera and the constraints on prey size when feeding young nestlings. Ibis 128:392–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen DF (1955) The food of the grey heron Ardea cinerea in the breeding season. Ibis 97:276–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen DF (1960) The nesting success of the heron Ardea cinerea in relationship to the availability of food. Proc Zool Soc Lond 133:597–617

    Google Scholar 

  • Peris SJ, Briz FJ, Campos F (1994) Recent changes in the food of the grey heron Ardea cinerea in central-west Spain. Ibis 136:488–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Pucek Z (1984) Klucz do oznaczania ssaków Polski. PWN, Warszawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Skóra KE (1997) Neogobius melanostomus. In: Olenin S, Daunys D (eds) Baltic research network on ecology of marine invasions and introductions

  • Skóra KE, Rzeźnik J (2001) Observation on Diet Composition of Neogobius melanostomus Pallas 1811 (Gobidae, Pisces) in the Gulf of Gdańsk (Baltic Sea). J Great Lakes Res 27:290–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Stańczykowska A (1986) Zwierzęta bezkręgowe naszych wód. PZWiS, Warszawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Stempniewicz L (1997) Rola i miejsce kormorana w strukturze troficznej ekosystemu Zalewu Wiślanego. In: Stempniewicvz L (ed) Ocena presji kormorana czarnego Phalacrocorax carbo na ichtiofaunę Zalewu Wiślanego. Unpublished report, University of Gdańsk, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sea Fisheries Institute in Gdynia

  • Stempniewicz L, Martyniak A, Borowski W, Goc M (2003) Fish stocks, commercial fishing and cormorant predation in the Vistula Lagoon, Poland. In: Cowx IG (ed) Interactions between fish and birds: implications for management. Fishing News Books, Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Utschick H (1981) Nahrungsgrundlagen und Aktivitätsmuster des Graureihers (Ardea cinerea) in Bayern. Garmisch Vogelkund Bericht 10:52–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinokurov AA (1960) [On the food digestion role in heron Ardea purpurea]. Moskovskogo Obshchestva Ispytatelei Prirody. Bull Otdel Biol Moskva 65:10

    Google Scholar 

  • Wojczulanis K, Jakubas D, Stempniewicz L (2005) Exploitation by the grey heron of Fish Regurgitated by Cormorants. Waterbirds 28:224–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Zahradnik J (1996) Przewodnik. Owady. Multico, Warszawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Zar JH (1996) Biostatistical analysis. Prentice-Hall International, London

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Prof. L. Stempniewicz for critical comments on the first version of the manuscript. This project was supported by grants of the State Committee for Scientific Research (6 PO4G 030 18) and the University of Gdańsk (BW 1140-5-005-0).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of Gdańsk, al. Legionów 9, 80-441, Gdańsk, Poland

    Dariusz Jakubas & Agnieszka Mioduszewska

Authors
  1. Dariusz Jakubas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Agnieszka Mioduszewska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dariusz Jakubas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jakubas, D., Mioduszewska, A. Diet composition and food consumption of the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) from breeding colonies in northern Poland. Eur J Wildl Res 51, 191–198 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-005-0096-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-005-0096-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation