Vie et Milieu

  • Full Screen
  • Wide Screen
  • Narrow Screen
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size

Article 7

Geographic variation of the diet of the common kestrel Falco tinnunculus linné, 1758 (Aves, Falconidae) in Algeria

pdf.png
File Size:
3 MB

K. SOUTTOU1*, A. MANAA2, F. BAZIZ-NEFF AH3, O. GUEZOUL4, L. AB ABSA4, M. S SEKOUR4, C. DENYS5, S. DOUMANDJI3
1 Faculty of Natural Science and Life, University Ziane Achour, Djelfa, BP 3117, 17000, Algeria
2 Faculté des Sciences Naturelles et de la Vie, Département Sciences Agronomiques, Université de Tlemcen, BP 11000, Algeria
3 Laboratory of Plant protection against crops pests in agricultural and natural area, Department of Zoology, Institute of Agronomy, Hacen Badi 16200, El Harrach, Algiers, Algeria
4 Department of Agronomic Sciences, University Kasdi Merbah, Ouargla, 30000, Algeria
5 UMR CNR S5202 – USM 601 – CP51 – Mammals and Birds, Department of Systematics and Evolution, National Museum of Natural History, 75005 Paris, France
* Corresponding author: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ABSTRACT. – The diet of the Common Kestrel was analyzed in different area of Algeria. The diet was determined by analyzing 713 pellets. Our data showed that the diet changes from one station to another. In a suburban environment in El Harrach, birds (25.9 %) were the dominant prey group. Similarly in urban area in El Anasser (49.0 %) and farmland area in Meftah (32.0 %), the birds dominate. The orthoptera prey is consumed in large numbers in farmland area in Meziraâ (60 %), El Kantara (53.1 %) and Dergana (37.8 %) and in suburban environment in Beni Messous (26.9%). In suburban area in Bab Ezzouar, beetles (34.6 %) dominate. In steppe area in El Mesrane, beetles (29.7 %) and birds (28.1 %) were the prey most eaten by this predator. In terms of prey species, the trophic behavior of this falcon shows that Passer domesticus x P. hispaniolensis was the most numerous prey species in a suburban environment in El Harrach (20.5 %), in an urban environment in El Anasser (26.0 %) and in an agricultural environment in Meftah (22.1 %). Moreover, in an agricultural environment in Dergana, the bat Pipistrellus kuhlii (12.0 %) made up the dominant prey. In El Mesrane, Meriones shawii (14.6 %) was the prey mainly eaten. However in a Saharan environment in Biskra, the diet of the Kestrel in an agroecosystem in Meziraâ was dominated by Schistocerca gregaria (52.5 %).

You are here: Volume 68 (2018) Issues 2-3 Article 7
Vie et Milieu
Observatoire Océanologique - Laboratoire Arago - Sorbonne Université
66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer - France
Email: vimilieu@obs-banyuls.fr

Managing Editor
Franck Lartaud
Phone: (33) (0)4 30 19 24 52
Email: franck.lartaud@obs-banyuls.fr

Editorial Secretary
Véronique Arnaud
Phone: (33) (0)4 68 88 73 29 (morning)
Email: editionvm@obs-banyuls.fr