Feeding resource partitioning between two understorey insectivorous birds in a fragment of Neotropical cloud forest.

The food habits and niche overlap based on diet composition and prey size of two species of understorey insectivorous birds were investigated in an area of montane rain forest in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. A total of 43 birds were captured: 33 individuals of Conopophaga lineata (Conopophagidae) with 13 recaptures, and 10 individuals of Myiothlypis leucoblephara (Parulidae) with 12 recaptures, from which were obtained respectively 33 and 10 fecal samples. Fragments of 16 groups of arthropods, plus insect eggs, were identified in these samples. Conopophaga lineata predominantly consumed Formicidae (32%) and Isoptera (23.6%). However, the index of alimentary importance (AI) of Isoptera (3.53) was lower than other groups such as Formicidae (AI = 61.88), Coleoptera (AI = 16.17), insect larvae (AI = 6.95) and Araneae (AI = 6.6). Myiothlypis leucoblephara predominantly consumed Formicidae (28.2%) and Coleoptera (24.4%), although Coleoptera and Hymenoptera non-Formicidae had the highest values of AI (38.71 and 22.98 respectively). Differences in the proportions of the types of arthropods consumed by birds were not enough to reveal their separation into feeding niches (overlap = 0.618, p observed ≤ expected = 0.934), whereas differences in the use of resources was mainly due to the size of the prey (p<0.001), where C lineata, the species with the highest body mass (p<0.001) consumed larger prey. It is plausible that prey size is an axis of niche dimension that allows the coexistence of these species.

Feeding resource partitioning between two understorey insectivorous birds in a fragment of Neotropical cloud forest

Abstract The food habits and niche overlap based on diet composition and prey size of two species of understorey insectivorous birds were investigated in an area of montane rain forest in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. A total of 43 birds were captured: 33 individuals of Conopophaga lineata (Conopophagidae) with 13 recaptures, and 10 individuals of Myiothlypis leucoblephara (Parulidae) with 12 recaptures, from which were obtained respectively 33 and 10 fecal samples. Fragments of 16 groups of arthropods, plus insect eggs, were identified in these samples. Conopophaga lineata predominantly consumed Formicidae (32%) and Isoptera (23.6%). However, the index of alimentary importance (AI) of Isoptera (3.53) was lower than other groups such as Formicidae (AI = 61.88), Coleoptera (AI = 16.17), insect larvae (AI = 6.95) and Araneae (AI = 6.6). Myiothlypis leucoblephara predominantly consumed Formicidae (28.2%) and Coleoptera (24.4%), although Coleoptera and Hymenoptera non-Formicidae had the highest values of AI (38.71 and 22.98 respectively). Differences in the proportions of the types of arthropods consumed by birds were not enough to reveal their separation into feeding niches (overlap = 0.618, p observed expected = 0.934), whereas differences in the use of resources was mainly due to the size of the prey (p 0.001), where C lineata, the species with the highest body mass (p 0.001) consumed larger prey. It is plausible that prey size is an axis of niche dimension that allows the coexistence of these species.

Resumo Os hábitos alimentares e a sobreposição de nicho em termos de composição da dieta e tamanho de presas de duas espécies de aves insetívoras de sub-bosque foram investigados em uma área de floresta ombrófila altomontana no estado de Minas Gerais, sudeste do Brasil. Foram capturados 33 indivíduos de Conopophaga lineata (Conopophagidae), com 13 recapturas, e 10 indivíduos de Myiothlypis leucoblephara (Parulidae), com 12 recapturas, dos quais foram obtidas, respectivamente, 33 e 10 amostras fecais, onde foram identificados fragmentos de 16 grupos de artrópodes, além de ovos de insetos. Conopophaga lineata consumiu predominantemente Formicidae (32%) e Isoptera (23,6%). Contudo, o índice de importância alimentar (IA) de Isoptera (3,53) esteve abaixo de outros grupos como Formicidae (IA = 61,88), Coleoptera (IA = 16,17), larva de inseto (IA = 6,95) e Araneae (IA = 6,6). Myiothlypis leucoblephara consumiu predominantemente Formicidae (28,2%) e Coleoptera (24,4%), embora em termos de IA o predomínio tenha sido de Coleoptera (IA = 38,71) e Hymenoptera não Formicidae (IA = 22,98). Diferenças nas proporções dos tipos de artrópodes consumidos pelas aves não foram suficientes para revelar separação em seus nichos alimentares (sobreposição = 0,618; p observado esperado = 0,934), ao passo que divergências no uso de recursos se deram principalmente em função dos tamanhos das presas (p 0,001), onde C. lineata, a espécie com maior massa corporal, (p 0,001) consumiu as maiores presas. É plausível que o tamanho das presas seja um eixo da dimensão do nicho que permite a coexistência dessas espécies.

Feeding resource partitioning between two understorey insectivorous birds in a fragment of Neotropical cloud forest / Partição de recursos alimentares entre duas espécies de aves insetívoras de sub-bosque em um fragmento de floresta nebular Neotropical

Abstract The food habits and niche overlap based on diet composition and prey size of two species of understorey insectivorous birds were investigated in an area of montane rain forest in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. A total of 43 birds were captured: 33 individuals of Conopophaga lineata (Conopophagidae) with 13 recaptures, and 10 individuals of Myiothlypis leucoblephara (Parulidae) with 12 recaptures, from which were obtained respectively 33 and 10 fecal samples. Fragments of 16 groups of arthropods, plus insect eggs, were identified in these samples. Conopophaga lineata predominantly consumed Formicidae (32%) and Isoptera (23.6%). However, the index of alimentary importance (AI) of Isoptera (3.53) was lower than other groups such as Formicidae (AI = 61.88), Coleoptera (AI = 16.17), insect larvae (AI = 6.95) and Araneae (AI = 6.6). Myiothlypis leucoblephara predominantly consumed Formicidae (28.2%) and Coleoptera (24.4%), although Coleoptera and Hymenoptera non-Formicidae had the highest values of AI (38.71 and 22.98 respectively). Differences in the proportions of the types of arthropods consumed by birds were not enough to reveal their separation into feeding niches (overlap = 0.618, p observed ≤ expected = 0.934), whereas differences in the use of resources was mainly due to the size of the prey (p<0.001), where C lineata, the species with the highest body mass (p<0.001) consumed larger prey. It is plausible that prey size is an axis of niche dimension that allows the coexistence of these species.

Resumo Os hábitos alimentares e a sobreposição de nicho em termos de composição da dieta e tamanho de presas de duas espécies de aves insetívoras de sub-bosque foram investigados em uma área de floresta ombrófila altomontana no estado de Minas Gerais, sudeste do Brasil. Foram capturados 33 indivíduos de Conopophaga lineata (Conopophagidae), com 13 recapturas, e 10 indivíduos de Myiothlypis leucoblephara (Parulidae), com 12 recapturas, dos quais foram obtidas, respectivamente, 33 e 10 amostras fecais, onde foram identificados fragmentos de 16 grupos de artrópodes, além de ovos de insetos. Conopophaga lineata consumiu predominantemente Formicidae (32%) e Isoptera (23,6%). Contudo, o índice de importância alimentar (IA) de Isoptera (3,53) esteve abaixo de outros grupos como Formicidae (IA = 61,88), Coleoptera (IA = 16,17), larva de inseto (IA = 6,95) e Araneae (IA = 6,6). Myiothlypis leucoblephara consumiu predominantemente Formicidae (28,2%) e Coleoptera (24,4%), embora em termos de IA o predomínio tenha sido de Coleoptera (IA = 38,71) e Hymenoptera não Formicidae (IA = 22,98). Diferenças nas proporções dos tipos de artrópodes consumidos pelas aves não foram suficientes para revelar separação em seus nichos alimentares (sobreposição = 0,618; p observado ≤ esperado = 0,934), ao passo que divergências no uso de recursos se deram principalmente em função dos tamanhos das presas (p<0,001), onde C. lineata, a espécie com maior massa corporal, (p<0,001) consumiu as maiores presas. É plausível que o tamanho das presas seja um eixo da dimensão do nicho que permite a coexistência dessas espécies.

Spatial dynamics of understorey insectivorous birds and arthropods in a southeastern Brazilian Atlantic woodlot.

Spatial distribution and spatial relationships in capture rates of understorey insectivorous birds and density of arthropods were investigated in a patch of upper montane rain forest in Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil, from January to December 2004. The composition of the arthropod fauna collected was similar to that reported for other tropical forests, with predominance of Araneae, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera non-Heteroptera. A total of 26 bird species were captured, among which the more common were Dysithamnus mentalis, Conopophaga lineata, Platyrinchus mystaceus, Basileuterus culicivorus and Sclerurus scansor. Variation in the bird capture rates among sampling net lines were not correlated with arthropod density. Rather, individual analyses of some bird species suggest that spatial distribution of understorey insectivorous birds is better explained by habitat type.