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Avian attendance and foraging at army-ant swarms in the tropical rain forest of Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Rosamond Coates-Estrada  and
Alejandro Estrada
Rosamond Coates-Estrada
Affiliation:
Estación de Biología Los Tuxtlas, Instituto de Biología-UNAM, Apartado Postal 176, San Andrés TuxtlaVeracruz, México
Alejandro Estrada
Affiliation:
Estación de Biología Los Tuxtlas, Instituto de Biología-UNAM, Apartado Postal 176, San Andrés TuxtlaVeracruz, México
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Abstract

Foraging and attendance of birds at army-ant swarm raids were studied in the tropical rain forest of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. Sixty-eight raiding swarms were intercepted over a four-year period of which 57% were Eciton burchelli and 43% Labidus praedator. A total of 461 birds (37 species/12 families) were recorded at swarms of E. burchelli and 208 birds (34 species/10 families) were recorded at L. praedator swarms. The mean number of bird species detected per swarm was 7.2 at E. burchelli raids and 5.6 at L. praedator raids. Red-throated ant-tanagers (Habia fuscicauda) were most frequently seen at the swarms of both army-ant species. Other important species were the golden-crowned warbler (Basileuterus culicivorus), the white-breasted wood wren (Henicorhina leucosticta) and the Kentucky warbler (Oporornis formosus). Swarms of both army-ant species were active year-round. Birds weighing between 20 and 40 g dominated perches closest to the ground and the central zone of the swarms, richest in animal prey. Birds weighing less than 20 g occupied higher perches and tended to forage in more peripheral zones. At Los Tuxtlas raiding swarms of army ants are important in the foraging ecology of 44 bird species, including 12 North American migrants.

Resumen

La asistencia y caza de artropodos por aves en oleadas de hormigas marabunta fué estudiada en la selva tropical Uuviosa de Los Tuxtlas, México. Sesenta y ocho oleadas fueron interceptadas durante un periodo de cuatro anos. De estas el 57% pertenecian a la especies Eciton burchelli y el 43% a Labidus praedator. Un total de 461 aves (37 especies/12 familias) se registraron en la oleadas de E. burchelli y 208 aves (34 especies/10 familias) se registraron en la oleadas de L. praedator. El número medio de especies registrada por oleada fué de 7.2 ± 1.7 para E. burchelli y de 5.6 ±2.1 para L. praedator. La especie con el mayor índice de asistencia a las oleadas de ambas especies de hormiga marabunta fué Habia fuscicauda. Otras especies importantes fueron Basileuterus culicivorus, Henicorhina leucosticta y Oporomis formosus. Las oleadas de ambas especies de hormigas estuvieron activas en todos los meses del año y la asistencia de las aves a las oleadas es predecible en cada mes. Las aves que pesaron entre 20 y 40 gr dominaron las perchas verticales más cercanas al suelo y la zona central de las oleadas donde existe una mayor concentración de artropodos. En la selva de Los Tuxtlas las oleadas de hormigas marabunta son un elemento importante en la ecologi'a del forrajeo de 44 especies de aves, incluyendo 12 migratorias de Norte America.

Keywords

army-antsbirdsforagingMexicotropical rain forest
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , August 1989 , pp. 281 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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