Diet of the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) in relation to habitat type: a summary of results from the Czech Republic
Abstract
Diet of the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) was studied by examination of 21 nest sediments (composed of the mass of regurgitated pellets from one breeding event / season) at the Slapy Reservoir, Blanice River, and five trout streams in the Czech Republic in the years 1999-2009. Based on diagnostic bones (maxillare, dentale, intermaxillare, praeoperculare, operculare, ossa pharyngea, glossohyale, palatinum, praevomer), a total of 11,149 individuals of 26 fish species and 6 families (Cyprinidae, Percidae, Salmonidae, Cottidae, Balitoridae, Esocidae) were identified in the diet.
Sizes of the dominant fish prey, such as the Gudgeon (Gobio gobio), European Chub (Leuciscus cephalus), European Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and Roach (Rutilus rutilus), were reconstructed using linear regression equations between measured dimensions of the diagnostic bone and total body length of the fish (LT). The size of fish prey ranged between 1.5 and 12 cm (maximum size was species dependent and differed according to body shape and the presence of thorns on opercular bones and hard sharp rays in fins), the optimum size was from 5 to 8 cm.