Browsing by Author "SCHLATTER, RP"

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    PREY OF THE WHITE-TAILED KITE IN CENTRAL CHILE AND ITS RELATION TO THE HUNTING HABITAT
    (1980) SCHLATTER, RP; TORO, B; YANEZ, JL; JAKSIC, FM
    Between Nov. 1973 and Jan. 1974 702 pellets of white-tailed kites (E. lecurus) in 2 areas of central Chile differing in their vegetation physiognomy (disturbed vs. undisturbed) were collected. The diversity, age structure and mean prey size of items found in pellets from both sites were compared. There were noticeable differences in the diversity of prey consumed by kites in the 2 areas. The smallest prey taken was the house mouse (17 g), the largest, juvenile norway rats (160 g); these figures represent 5.6-52.9% of Chilean kites'' weight (302.2 g). Mean size of prey taken in the disturbed site was about 25% smaller than in the undisturbed area. White-tailed kites were much more abundant in disturbed areas, in spite of the relatively smaller prey-size distribution available. Disturbed habitats generated by human activities may be more profitable to the kites in terms of greater prey abundance, higher prey vulnerability, or both.