Records |
Author |
Dwyer, R.G.; Bearhop, S.; Campbell, H.A.; Bryant, D.M. |
Title |
Shedding light on light: benefits of anthropogenic illumination to a nocturnally foraging shorebird |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2013 |
Publication |
The Journal of Animal Ecology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Anim Ecol |
Volume |
82 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
478-485 |
Keywords |
Artificial light; Dmsp/Ols; foraging strategy; moonlight; shorebirds; birds; animals; foraging; Tringa totanus; common redshank |
Abstract |
Intertidal habitats provide important feeding areas for migratory shorebirds. Anthropogenic developments along coasts can increase ambient light levels at night across adjacent inter-tidal zones. Here, we report the effects of elevated nocturnal light levels upon the foraging strategy of a migratory shorebird (common redshank Tringa totanus) overwintering on an industrialised estuary in Northern Europe. To monitor behaviour across the full intertidal area, individuals were located by day and night using VHF transmitters, and foraging behaviour was inferred from inbuilt posture sensors. Natural light was scored using moon-phase and cloud cover information and nocturnal artificial light levels were obtained using geo-referenced DMSP/OLS night-time satellite imagery at a 1-km resolution. Under high illumination levels, the commonest and apparently preferred foraging behaviour was sight-based. Conversely, birds feeding in areas with low levels of artificial light had an elevated foraging time and fed by touch, but switched to visual rather than tactile foraging behaviour on bright moonlit nights in the absence of cloud cover. Individuals occupying areas which were illuminated continuously by lighting from a large petrochemical complex invariably exhibited a visually based foraging behaviour independently of lunar phase and cloud cover. We show that ambient light levels affect the timing and distribution of foraging opportunities for redshank. We argue that light emitted from an industrial complex improved nocturnal visibility. This allowed sight-based foraging in place of tactile foraging, implying both a preference for sight-feeding and enhanced night-time foraging opportunities under these conditions. The study highlights the value of integrating remotely sensed data and telemetry techniques to assess the effect of anthropogenic change upon nocturnal behaviour and habitat use. |
Address |
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK |
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English |
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0021-8790 |
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PMID:23190422 |
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no |
Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
44 |
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Author |
Titulaer, M.; Spoelstra, K.; Lange, C.Y.M.J.G.; Visser, M.E. |
Title |
Activity patterns during food provisioning are affected by artificial light in free living great tits (Parus major) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2012 |
Publication |
PloS one |
Abbreviated Journal |
PLoS One |
Volume |
7 |
Issue |
5 |
Pages |
e37377 |
Keywords |
Animals; Appetitive Behavior/*physiology; Feeding Behavior/*physiology; Female; Light/*adverse effects; Male; Nesting Behavior/*physiology; Netherlands; Passeriformes/*physiology; Photoperiod; Sex Factors |
Abstract |
Artificial light may have severe ecological consequences but there is limited experimental work to assess these consequences. We carried out an experimental study on a wild population of great tits (Parus major) to assess the impact of light pollution on daily activity patterns during the chick provisioning period. Pairs that were provided with a small light outside their nest box did not alter the onset, cessation or duration of their working day. There was however a clear effect of artificial light on the feeding rate in the second half of the nestling period: when provided with artificial light females increased their feeding rate when the nestlings were between 9 and 16 days old. Artificial light is hypothesised to have affected the perceived photoperiod of either the parents or the offspring which in turn led to increased parental care. This may have negative fitness consequences for the parents, and light pollution may thus create an ecological trap for breeding birds. |
Address |
Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands |
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English |
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ISSN |
1932-6203 |
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PMID:22624023; PMCID:PMC3356403 |
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no |
Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
45 |
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Author |
Santos, C.D.; Miranda, A.C.; Granadeiro, J.P.; Lourenço, P.M.; Saraiva, S.; Palmeirim, J.M. |
Title |
Effects of artificial illumination on the nocturnal foraging of waders |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Acta Oecologica |
Abbreviated Journal |
Acta Oecologica |
Volume |
36 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
166-172 |
Keywords |
waders; light pollution; animals |
Abstract |
Large areas of natural and semi-natural habitats are exposed to artificial illumination from adjacent urban areas and roads. Estuarine and coastal wetlands are particularly exposed to such illumination because shorelines often are heavily utilized by man. However, the impact of artificial illumination on the waders that forage in these highly productive habitats is virtually unknown. We evaluated the effects of artificial illumination on the nocturnal habitat selection and foraging behaviour of six wader species with different feeding strategies: three visual foragers, two species that alternate visual and tactile strategies (mixed foragers), and one tactile forager. We quantified the number of birds and their foraging behaviour at sites affected and not affected by streetlights, and also before and after illuminating experimental sites. Areas illuminated by streetlights were used more during the night by visual foragers, and to a lesser extent by mixed foragers, than non-illuminated areas. Visual foragers increased their foraging effort in illuminated areas, and mixed foragers changed to more efficient visual foraging strategies. These behavioural shifts improved prey intake rate by an average of 83% in visual and mixed foragers. We have showed that artificial illumination has a positive effect on the nocturnal foraging of waders, but on the other hand may draw them to degraded areas close to urban centres, and potentially raises their exposure to predators. Our findings suggest that artificial illumination is worth investigation as a tool in the management of intertidal habitats for waders. |
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1146609X |
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no |
Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
46 |
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Author |
Rojas, L.M.; McNeil, R.; Cabana, T.; Lachapelle, P. |
Title |
Diurnal and Nocturnal Visual Capabilities in Shorebirds as a Function of Their Feeding Strategies |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
1999 |
Publication |
Brain, Behavior and Evolution |
Abbreviated Journal |
Brain Behav Evol |
Volume |
53 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
29-43 |
Keywords |
foraging; Catoptrophorus semipalmatus; Territorial Willets; Black-winged Stilt; Himantopus himantopus; Scolopax minor; Limnodromus griseus; birds; Wilson's Plover; Charadrius wilsonia; Short-billed Dowitcher; Limnodromus griseus |
Abstract |
Some shorebird species forage with the same feeding strategy at night and during daytime, e.g. visual pecking in the Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) or tactile probing in the Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus). The Limnodromus griseus (Scolopax minor) uses tactile probing, by day and by night, but sometimes pecks for insects during daytime. The Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a visual pecker, both by day and by night, and sometimes forages tactilely on windy (agitated water surface) moonless nights. Territorial Willets (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) are visual peckers during daylight and on moonlight conditions but switch to tactile feeding under lower light conditions. It could be postulated that some shorebird species would switch from visual feeding during daytime to tactile foraging at night because they have poor night vision compared to species that are always sight foragers irrespective of the time of the day. This issue was examined by comparing retinal structure and function in the above species. Electroretinograms (ERGs) were obtained at different light intensities from anesthetized birds, and the retinae were processed for histological observations. Based on ERGs, retinal sensitivity, and rod:cone ratios, both plovers and stilts are well adapted for nocturnal vision. Although they have low rod density compared to that of stilts and plovers, Willets and woodcocks have a scotopic retinal sensitivity similar to that of stilts and plovers but rank midway between plovers and dowitchers for the b-wave amplitude. Dowitchers have the lowest scotopic b-wave amplitude and retinal sensitivity and appear the least well adapted for night vision. Based on photopic ERGs and cone densities, although stilts, Willets and dowitchers appear as well adapted for daytime vision, plovers occupy the last rank of all species examined. Compared to the nighttime tactile feeders and those that switch from daytime visual pecking to tactile feeding at night, nighttime sight feeders have a superior rod function and, consequently, potentially superior nocturnal visual capabilities. |
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ISSN |
0006-8977 |
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no |
Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
47 |
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Author |
Jetz, W.; Steffen, J.; Linsenmair, K.E. |
Title |
Effects of light and prey availability on nocturnal, lunar and seasonal activity of tropical nightjars |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2003 |
Publication |
Oikos |
Abbreviated Journal |
Oikos |
Volume |
103 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
627-639 |
Keywords |
foraging; Caprimulgus climacurus; birds; nightjars; standard-winged nightjar; Macrodipteryx longipennis; long-tailed nightjar |
Abstract |
Nightjars and their allies represent the only major group of visually hunting aerial insectivores with a crepuscular and/or nocturnal lifestyle. Our purpose was to examine how both light regime and prey abundance in the tropics, where periods of twilight are extremely short, but nightjar diversity is high, affect activity across different temporal scales. We studied two nightjar species in West African bush savannah, standard-winged nightjars Macrodipteryx longipennis Shaw and long-tailed nightjars Caprimulgus climacurus Vieillot. We measured biomass of potential prey available using a vehicle mounted trap and found that it was highest at dusk and significantly lower at dawn and during the night. Based on direct observations, both nightjars exhibit the most intense foraging behaviour at dusk, less intense foraging at dawn and least at night, as predicted by both prey abundance and conditions for visual prey detection. Nocturnal foraging was positively correlated with lunar light levels and ceased below about 0.03 mW m−2. Over the course of a lunar cycle, nocturnal light availability varied markedly, while prey abundance remained constant at dusk and at night was slightly higher at full moon. Both species increased twilight foraging activity during new moon periods, compensating for the shorter nocturnal foraging window at that time. Seasonally, the pattern of nocturnal light availability was similar throughout the year, while prey availability peaked shortly after onset of the wet season and then slowly decreased over the following four months. The courtship and breeding phenology of both species was timed to coincide with the peak in aerial insect abundance, suggesting that prey availability rather than direct abiotic factors act as constraints, at least at the seasonal level. Our findings illustrate the peculiar constraints on visually orienting aerial nocturnal insectivores in general and tropical nightjars in particular and highlight the resulting nocturnal, lunar and seasonal allocation of activities. |
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ISSN |
0030-1299 |
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no |
Call Number |
IDA @ john @ |
Serial |
48 |
Permanent link to this record |