Wing mantles

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Winged Bell Heron ( Egretta ardesiaca )

The wing mantle ( English canopy feeding or flush-pursuing ) is a hunting technique used by some carnivorous birds . Some walking birds , bucerotiformes , songbirds and perhaps other groups of birds use their outstretched wings for this purpose . The near area below and in front of the bird is shielded. Due to the shadow effect, it can be used for small prey animalsa supposed protection area is created and they can also be prevented mechanically by the feathers from escaping from the shadow area and they can even be directed towards the beak. Applied to larger prey animals, wing mantles block their escape routes.

At the same time, wing jackets improve visibility by shielding the dazzling effects on the surface of the water, which are irritating for prey.

Rarely, but in at least 12 species of wood warbler , the effect is achieved or supported by the spread tail feathers (as in the case of the red-breasted wood warbler ).

Groups of birds

Wading birds

Wing mantles when catching prey is known from walking birds (Ciconiiformes) such as storks , herons and pelicans .

For example, the heron runs with its wings spread, pauses in the bank area, brings its wings forward over its head and can remain in this pose for several minutes. The animals preyed on by wing mantles are small fish.

Bucerotiformes

Wing shells can also be used on larger individual objects, e.g. B. a small group of hornbills with spread wings can hinder a snake from escaping and drive one another.

Songbirds

Wing Strip also occurs in insectivorous songbirds, so at flycatchers ( Spotted Flycatcher ), tanagers ( Scarlet Tanager ), bullies ( Acadian Flycatcher ), vireos ( red-eyed vireo ) and forest singers ( Green Warbler , American Redstart ).

Anatomical adaptation

Wing mantles can be supported by the coloring and contrasting of the feathers, whereby high-contrast light-dark patterns prevent the prey from fleeing rather than completely dark colors. The contrasting color is used to direct the prey in the direction of the beak. This was confirmed in 12 species of wood warbler, which support wing mantles with their splayed black and white contrasting tail feathers.

Thermoregulation

The spread of the wings is often used to dry the plumage in the sun. Other interpretations relate to the production of vitamin D , control of ectoparasites and in the function of thermoregulation .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Ronald L. Mumme: Scare tactics in a neotropical warbler: white tail feathers enhance flush-pursuit foraging performance in the slate-throated redstart (Myioborus miniatus). In: The Auk. Volume 119, No. 4, 2002, pp. 1024-1035, doi : 10.1642 / 0004-8038 (2002) 119 [1024: STIANW] 2.0.CO; 2 .
  2. ↑ a b Piotr G. Jabłoński: A rare predator exploits prey escape behavior: the role of tail-fanning and plumage contrast in foraging of the painted redstart (Myioborus pictus). In: Behavioral Ecology. Volume 10, No. 1, 1998, pp. 7-14, doi : 10.1093 / beheco / 10.1.7 .
  3. ↑ a b P. G. Jabloński: Sensory exploitation of prey: manipulation of the initial direction of prey escapes by a conspicuous 'rare enemy'. In: Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. Volume 268, No. 1471, May 22, 2001, pp. 1017-1022, doi : 10.1098 / rspb.2001.1623 .
  4. ^ A b James A. Kushlan: Feeding behavior of North American herons. In: The Auk. 1976, pp. 86-94. Quoted from: Meyerriecks 1960.
  5. ^ A b N. Mathews, CD McQuaid: The feeding ecology of the slatey egret (Egretta vinaceigula). In: African Journal of Ecology. Volume 21, No. 4, December 1983, pp. 235-240, doi : 10.1111 / j.1365-2028.1983.tb00324.x .
  6. ↑ DA Humphries, PM Driver: Protean defense by prey animals. In: Oecologia. Volume 5, No. 4, 1970, pp. 285-302.
  7. ↑ Nicholas B. Davies: Prey selection and the search strategy of the spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata): A field study on optimal foraging. In: Animal Behavior. Volume 25, 1977, pp. 1016-1033, doi : 10.1016 / 0003-3472 (77) 90053-7 .
  8. ↑ a b c d Briana Maurerand, Robert C. Whitmore: Foraging of five bird species in two forests with different vegetation structure. In: Wilson Bull. Volume 93, No. 4, 1981, pp. 478-490.
  9. ^ Piotr G. Jabłoński, Caitríona McInerney: Prey escape direction is influenced by the pivoting displays of flush-pursuing birds. In: Ethology. Volume 111, No. 4, April 2005, pp. 381-396, doi : 10.1111 / j.1439-0310.2004.01059.x .
  10. ^ Willard W. Hennemann, III: Energetics and spread-winged behavior of anhingas in Florida. In: Condor. Volume 84, 1982, pp. 91-96.