Grzegorz Kopij

Tragelaphus strepsiceros browse during the dry season in the mopani veld of Limpopo Province, South Africa

Colophospermum mopane, commonly known as mopane, provides essential browse to the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), especially during the dry season. This study uses analysis of rumen-contents to quantify the use of C. mopane and other plants browsed by the greater kudu in the dry season. The study was conducted at the Sandown Game Farm, Musina Local Municipality, Limpopo Province of South Africa. Rumen samples were collected from three male and two female greater kudu culled in June 2014 and statistically analysed using t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means and Pearson Correlation Coefficient analysis. Findings show that C. mopane contributed the most (47%) to the diet of the greater kudu during the dry season. Other important browse plants were Dichrostachys cineria (30%), Commiphora edulis (12%), Grewia bicolor (6%) and Combretum apiculatum (5%), with the contribution of T. prunioides and G. flava to the diet being insignificant. The plant parts mostly browsed were leaves, which contributed 75% to the diet. The remaining 25% of the diet consisted of pods and seeds. Gender differences in diet selection were observed. The diet of the female greater kudu consisted mainly of C. mopane (71%) and D. cineria (22%). The diets of the male greater kudu contained less C. mopane (33%), similar proportions of D. cineria (31%) and other browse species. Implications for the management and conservation of the greater kudu in the mopani veld are discussed.

Diet of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni in Israel

Abstract The food of the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) was studied by means of pellet contents analysis. A total of 645 entire pellets was collected, 550 pellets from the urban area of Jerusalem, 71 pellets from a rural area (a farmland) in Alona Region, 12 pellets from a natural area in the Judean Desert and 12 pellets from a quarry near Rosh Hain. Grasshoppers (Orthoptera), beetles (Coleoptera) and sun spiders (Solifugae) constituted the bulk of the diet. Numerically, grasshoppers and beetles were almost equally important (38.5% and 42.2% respectively), while sun spiders were much less numerous (11.7%). However, in terms of biomass, grasshoppers (54.7%) were far more important than beetles (18.8%) and sun spiders (20.6%). Four beetle families, viz. Carabidae, Scarabaeidae, Curculionidae and Tenebrionidae, comprised together 76.8% of all beetle prey items and 81.6% of beetle biomass. Among grasshoppers, the most important family (64.6% by numbers of prey items, 70.4% by grasshopper biomass) was the locusts (Acrididae). Significant month-to-month variations in the proportion of the main prey groups have been recorded. From February to April the Lesser Kestrel fed mainly on beetles, while from May to July it fed mainly on grasshoppers and sun spiders. Beetles and sun spiders comprised a much lower proportion of prey in 1998 (low rainfall) than in 1999 (high rainfall), while the proportion of grasshoppers and other invertebrates (altogether) was higher in 1998 than in 1999.

Effect of Winter Temperature and Maize Food Abundance on Long-Term Population Dynamics of the Wild Boar Sus scrofa

ABSTRACT In a few recent decades, population increase of the wild boar has been evidenced in various European countries. As the result of this increase, the wild boar has expanded into farmlands, especially in some regions, where the cultivated maize constitutes the main source of its diet through the larger part of the year. The effect of winter weather and land use changes on the expansion of wild boar was analysed in a farmland in southern Poland. Over 21 years (1985–2005) in the study area of about 681 km2 a rapid increase in the number of harvested wild boars was recorded. While in the middle 1980′s, there were only about 40 animals harvested per hunting season, in 2005 the number increased to 180. The rapid increase was, in general, correlated positively to the increasing surface area of the maize crops — from 205 ha (0.9%) in 1985 to 3212 ha (14.9% of arable lands) in 2004. However the correlation between the increase of the average late winter (February/March) temperature and the number of wild boars seems to be negative and contrary to our expectations, the numbers of wild boars were found to be higher under the lower temperatures in that period of the year.

Dietary Overlap of Co-Occurring Barn Owl Tyto alba Scopoli and Spotted Eagle Owl Bubo africanus Temminck in Urban and Rural Environments

ABSTRACT: Diet of co-occurring Barn Owl and Spotted Eagle Owl has been studied by means of pellet contents analysis in urban and rural environments in the Highveld of South Africa. In urban environment, diet of both owl species was dominated by murid rodents (mainly Otomys, Mastomys and Rhabdomys). In rural environment, Barn Owl diet was also dominated by murid rodents, but in the diet of the Spotted Eagle Owl higher proportion of birds and non-murid rodents was recorded. Although in the rural environment the breadth of diet niche was wider in Spotted Eagle Owl (DB = 35.41) than in Barn Owl (DB = 12.67), there was almost total dietary overlap (DO = 0.98) between these two co-occurring owl species. For contrast, there was only slight food niche overlap (DO = 0.12) between these owl species co-occurring in the urban environment, but the diet breadth here was also wider in Spotted Eagle Owl (DB = 29.02) than in Barn Owl (DB = 17.90). In the urban environment diet breadth of the Spotted Eagle Owl is, therefore, slightly wider than in rural environment, while in the case of the Barn Owl the reverse is true. Probably there is lower abundance of available prey in urban and rural areas in the Highveld, in comparison with more natural habitats. This may force both species to resort to a more diverse diet to meet their energy requirements. Both species show, therefore, high plasticity of foraging.

Avian assemblages of river gorges in the Maloti/Drakensberg ‘hot-spot’ region, southern Africa

During the years 1998–2002, the line-transect method was employed to assess species richness, dominance structure, and relative abundance of resident (breeding) birds at 29 randomly selected sections of 10 river gorges in Maloti/Drakensberg (total length of transects ca. 214 km), an endemic region in southern Africa. A total of 78 species were recorded in the Upper Senqu river drainage system (19 sections above Sehonghong on the following rivers: Senqu, Khubelu, Senqunyane, Mokhotlong, and Sanni) and 86 species in the Lower Senqu river drainage system (10 sections below Sehonghong on the following rivers: Makhaleng, Dikolobeng, and Moletsunyane). In most river gorges, Simpson’s diversity index was higher than 0.90, while Shannon’s diversity index was higher than 2.60. In the Upper Senqu river drainage system, the dominants (⩾5% of the total abundance) comprised 42.2%, while subdominants (2–4.9%) comprised 27.2% of all registered pairs. In the Lower Senqu river drainage system, the proportions appeared to ...

Year-to-year variation in clutch size and breeding success of the Little Egret, Egretta garzetta Linnaeus, 1766, in Turkey

Abstract Clutch size and breeding success in Little Egrets Egretta garzetta nesting colonially at Lake Poyrazlar, northwest Turkey, were monitored between 2002 and 2005. The mean clutch size in the Little Egret was 3.17 (n=100) and during four successive years it varied from 2.76 to 3.36. The annual variations were, however, not statistically significant. The hatching success was high and varied annually from 84.1% to 97.4%, while fledging success varied from 74.3% to 88.5%, but these variations were not statistically significant. Nesting success varied from 92 to 100%. Hatching success was not correlated with clutch size, while fledging and reproductive success was much higher in smaller (2–3 eggs) than in larger (4–5 eggs) clutches.

Diet of sympatrically breeding Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides and White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides

The Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides and White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides are insectivore, cavity-nesting bird species, both of which occur in the Zambezi Region, north-eastern Namibia. I examined there the diet composition of these species by an analysis of prey remnants. The Southern Carmine Bee-eater chicks diet consisted of exclusively insects, represented by seven orders. The most numerous were orthopterans and beetles (40.9% and 26.1%, respectively; n = 582 prey items). Hymenopterans (18.7%) and bugs (12.9%) supplemented the diet, whereas dragonflies (Odonata) and moths (Lepidoptera) were preyed only occasionally. In the diet of the White-fronted Bee-eater, nesting at the same site, beetles were the most important prey (81.2% of all 101 prey items identified), with scarabaeids comprising more than half of the beetle diet. In comparison with the White-fronted Bee-eater, a lower proportion of beetles, but much larger proportion of orthopterans were recorded in the diet of the Southern Carmine Bee-eater. In both bee-eater species, hymenopterans appear to be less important than was expected. The essential difference in the proportion of main prey groups recorded in Southern Carmine and White-fronted Bee-eaters breeding at the same site may represent a shift in food niche due to both temporal segregation in breeding, and differences in food preferences (feeding sites).

Expansion of alien carnivore and ungulate species in SW Poland

Changes in distribution of six mammal species, viz. Procyon lotor, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Neovison vison, Cervus nippon, Dama dama, Ovis aries musimon in SW Poland (42000 km2), since their introduction till 2008, have been analyzed. A rough estimate of their numbers is also provided for seven regions in SW Poland (Silesia). Detailed maps of distribution of the American mink and fallow deer in SW Poland during 2004–2008 are also presented. The alien ungulates, as long-established species in SW Poland, are not considered as particularly destructive to indigenous flora and fauna. They are not invasive, and have never been regarded as such. On the other hand, the alien carnivores are regarded in SW Poland as destructive to the indigenous fauna. Counter-measures for the rapidly increasing carnivores are proposed.

Tragelaphus strepsiceros Browse During the Wet Season in the Mopani Veld of Limpopo Province, South Africa

ABSTRACT Tragelaphus strepsiceros (greater kudu) has adapted to the harsh conditions of southern Africas mopani woodland. However, there is still limited information on the diet composition and selection of browse by greater kudu, particularly during the wet season. This poses a challenge to manage these ungulates effectively within their habitat. The study used rumen content to quantify the diet composition of greater kudu during thewet season. The study was conducted at the Sandown Game Farm, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Rumen samples were collected fromfour adult female and four adult male greater kudu culled inMarch 2015 and statistically analyzed using the t-test: paired two sample for means and Pearsons correlation coefficient analysis. Findings show that Combretum apiculatum contributed most (43%) to the diet of greater kudu during the wet season. Other browse plant species were Sclerocarya birrea (24%), Colophospermum mopane (12%), and Acacia nigrescens (8%), with the contribution of the remaining species to the diet being insignificant. Leaves were the plant parts browsed most often and contributed 81% to the diet during this season. The remaining 19% of the diet consisted mainly of S. birrea fruit. Gender differences in diet selection were observed. The diet of female greater kudu consisted mainly of C. apiculatum (44%) and C. mopane (20%), while the diet of male greater kudu mostly contained S. birrea (38%) and C. apiculatum (34%). Implications for the management and conservation of greater kudu in mopani veld are discussed.

Distribution and Numbers of Breeding Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae) and Herons (Ardeidae) in Lesotho

Owing to a scarcity of larger natural wetlands, waterbirds are, in general, uncommon in Lesotho (Osborne & Tigar 1990; Bonde 1992; Hockey et al. 2005). Besides Anseriformes, the most characteristic species in this group are represented by Ciconiiformes and Pelecaniformes. In Lesotho, Reed Cormorant (Phalacrocorax africanus), White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus), Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala), Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) and Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) have been recorded breeding (Osborne & Tigar 1990; Bonde 1992). Other members of Ciconiifomes, such as the Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) and Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) are not regarded as waterbirds, but do breed in Lesotho (Osborne & Tigar 1990; Bonde 1992). From a conservation perspective, it is important and relatively easy to survey colonially breeding waterbirds, i.e. herons and cormorants. Since these colonies are occupied annually, their status can be monitored on a regular basis (Sutherland 1996, 2000). However, only the distribution and abundance of the Cattle Egret has been thoroughly investigated in Lesotho (Kopij 2008). The purpose of this study was to determine the status and distribution of all other herons and cormorants breeding in Lesotho.