Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches

With the rapid growth of agricultural areas globally, forest birds increasingly encounter fragmented landscapes in which forest patches are surrounded by an agricultural plantation matrix, yet how birds respond behaviourally to this fragmentation is poorly understood. Information on microhabitat req...

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Main Authors: Mansor, Mohammad Saiful, Nor, Shukor Md, Ramli, Rosli, Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd
Format: Article
Published: Elsevier 2018
Subjects:
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author Mansor, Mohammad Saiful
Nor, Shukor Md
Ramli, Rosli
Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd
author_facet Mansor, Mohammad Saiful
Nor, Shukor Md
Ramli, Rosli
Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd
author_sort Mansor, Mohammad Saiful
collection UM
description With the rapid growth of agricultural areas globally, forest birds increasingly encounter fragmented landscapes in which forest patches are surrounded by an agricultural plantation matrix, yet how birds respond behaviourally to this fragmentation is poorly understood. Information on microhabitat requirements of birds is scarce, but nevertheless essential to predicting adaptation of bird species to the patchy landscapes. We investigated foraging patterns of three tropical insectivorous birds, Green Iora Aegithina viridissima, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler Macronus gularis and Chestnut-winged Babbler Cyanoderma erythropterum, to determine whether they vary in foraging methods in different forest patches. Our study area encompassed old-logged lowland forest; one continuous forest and three forest patches. Observations were performed for 15 days every month for a period of 13 months. Information on foraging height, substrate, attack manoeuvres, and foliage density was collected independently for each foraging bird individual. All three species used different foraging substrates and attack manoeuvres in different habitat types. The Green Iora frequently used lower strata when foraging in forest patches as opposed to continuous forest, while the Pin-striped Tit-Babbler tended to forage in more dense vegetation in patches. Only Chestnut-winged Babbler displayed complete foraging plasticity across all study parameters. Different habitat features (e.g., edges, microclimates) between continuous forest and forest patches significantly influenced the foraging strategies of the study species. These changes in foraging strategies suggest that some Malaysian forest birds (e.g. generalist species) can respond behaviourally to fragmentation and habitat loss. Although continuous forest has critically important characteristics that need to be conserved, remnant forest patches are also important as ecological movement corridors and foraging grounds for birds.
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spelling um.eprints-213392019-05-27T08:03:37Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/21339/ Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches Mansor, Mohammad Saiful Nor, Shukor Md Ramli, Rosli Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd Q Science (General) QH Natural history With the rapid growth of agricultural areas globally, forest birds increasingly encounter fragmented landscapes in which forest patches are surrounded by an agricultural plantation matrix, yet how birds respond behaviourally to this fragmentation is poorly understood. Information on microhabitat requirements of birds is scarce, but nevertheless essential to predicting adaptation of bird species to the patchy landscapes. We investigated foraging patterns of three tropical insectivorous birds, Green Iora Aegithina viridissima, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler Macronus gularis and Chestnut-winged Babbler Cyanoderma erythropterum, to determine whether they vary in foraging methods in different forest patches. Our study area encompassed old-logged lowland forest; one continuous forest and three forest patches. Observations were performed for 15 days every month for a period of 13 months. Information on foraging height, substrate, attack manoeuvres, and foliage density was collected independently for each foraging bird individual. All three species used different foraging substrates and attack manoeuvres in different habitat types. The Green Iora frequently used lower strata when foraging in forest patches as opposed to continuous forest, while the Pin-striped Tit-Babbler tended to forage in more dense vegetation in patches. Only Chestnut-winged Babbler displayed complete foraging plasticity across all study parameters. Different habitat features (e.g., edges, microclimates) between continuous forest and forest patches significantly influenced the foraging strategies of the study species. These changes in foraging strategies suggest that some Malaysian forest birds (e.g. generalist species) can respond behaviourally to fragmentation and habitat loss. Although continuous forest has critically important characteristics that need to be conserved, remnant forest patches are also important as ecological movement corridors and foraging grounds for birds. Elsevier 2018 Article PeerReviewed Mansor, Mohammad Saiful and Nor, Shukor Md and Ramli, Rosli and Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd (2018) Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches. Behavioural Processes, 157. pp. 73-79. ISSN 0376-6357, DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2018.09.001 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2018.09.001>. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2018.09.001 doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2018.09.001
spellingShingle Q Science (General)
QH Natural history
Mansor, Mohammad Saiful
Nor, Shukor Md
Ramli, Rosli
Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd
Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches
title Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches
title_full Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches
title_fullStr Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches
title_full_unstemmed Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches
title_short Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches
title_sort niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland malaysian forest patches
topic Q Science (General)
QH Natural history
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