[BIRDWG05] More information on the diet of Greater Roadrunner

Pierre A Plauzoles sphinxangelorum at bigfoot.com
Sat Feb 16 02:26:46 EST 2002


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Michael Gochfeld wrote:

> The Roadrunner observations of predation on Painted Lady (wings beaten off)
> and Pipevine Swallowtail (no wing beating) are very interesting.  In Brazil we
> studied Smooth-billed Anis preying on butterflies on a river beach. Anis are
> in the cuckoo family (like Roadrunners).  A group of Anis specialized on
> butterflies during the whole mid-day period when butterflies were puddling on
> the beach.  Anis ate butterflies whole (no wing-beating off for them).  They
> also ate bees, occasionally even when being obviously stung.  The butterflies
> were mostly Pierids and Purplewings (presumably not distasteful).  The Pierids
> were clustered first in a group of about 700, and the Anis attacked the
> cluster repeatedly until, over the course of a week there was no more
> cluster.  Then they went after the solo Purplewings which were also very
> abundant..
>
> The citation to our paper is
>
> Burger J and Gochfeld M.  Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) predation on
> butterflies inj Mato Grosso, Brazil: risk decreases with increased group
> size.  Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology  49:482-492 (2001).
>
> Mike Gochfeld

Here in southern California, one or more roadrunners (probably the latter) will
often take white-lined sphinx moths (Hyles lineata), and presumably other
sphingids, in similar fashion.  One such account was the subject of a personal
communication from Sandy Russell (then a resident of Malibu, California).  She had
observed a comparitively tame roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) consuming
several in a very short time.  Later she noticed a large quantity of wings, some
quite thoroughly thrashed, and other body parts on the porch under her light array
(mercury vapor and black light) on going outdoors in the morning.  One day, she
decided to count the parts -- there were parts of some 300 moths!.

An arboreal species, the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), at least
members of the population occupying the Audubon preserve near Lake Isabella, in
Kern County, California, and vicinity, have been observed feeding caterpillars of
the big poplar sphinx (Pachysphinx occidentalis) to their nestlings.  Since there
are at least two other large sphingids in the area, these are probably taken as
well.  Grasshoppers are also taken, as are scorpions, lizards, sankes and
nestlings of other bird species.

I hope this helps.

Pierre A Plauzoles
sphinxangelorum at bigfoot.com


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Michael Gochfeld wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>The Roadrunner observations of predation on Painted
Lady (wings beaten off)
<br>and Pipevine Swallowtail (no wing beating) are very interesting.&nbsp;
In Brazil we
<br>studied Smooth-billed Anis preying on butterflies on a river beach.
Anis are
<br>in the cuckoo family (like Roadrunners).&nbsp; A group of Anis specialized
on
<br>butterflies during the whole mid-day period when butterflies were puddling
on
<br>the beach.&nbsp; Anis ate butterflies whole (no wing-beating off for
them).&nbsp; They
<br>also ate bees, occasionally even when being obviously stung.&nbsp;
The butterflies
<br>were mostly Pierids and Purplewings (presumably not distasteful).&nbsp;
The Pierids
<br>were clustered first in a group of about 700, and the Anis attacked
the
<br>cluster repeatedly until, over the course of a week there was no more
<br>cluster.&nbsp; Then they went after the solo Purplewings which were
also very
<br>abundant..
<p>The citation to our paper is
<p>Burger J and Gochfeld M.&nbsp; Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) predation
on
<br>butterflies inj Mato Grosso, Brazil: risk decreases with increased
group
<br>size.&nbsp; Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology&nbsp; 49:482-492 (2001).
<p>Mike Gochfeld</blockquote>
Here in southern California, one or more roadrunners (probably the latter)
will often take white-lined sphinx moths (<i>Hyles lineata</i>), and presumably
other sphingids, in similar fashion.&nbsp; One such account was the subject
of a personal communication from Sandy Russell (then a resident of Malibu,
California).&nbsp; She had observed a comparitively tame roadrunner (<i>Geococcyx
californianus</i>) consuming several in a very short time.&nbsp; Later
she noticed a large quantity of wings, some quite thoroughly thrashed,
and other body parts on the porch under her light array (mercury vapor
and black light) on going outdoors in the morning.&nbsp; One day, she decided
to count the parts -- there were parts of some 300 moths!.
<p>An arboreal species, the yellow-billed cuckoo (<i>Coccyzus americanus</i>),
at least members of the population occupying the Audubon preserve near
Lake Isabella, in Kern County, California, and vicinity, have been observed
feeding caterpillars of the big poplar sphinx (<i>Pachysphinx occidentalis</i>)
to their nestlings.&nbsp; Since there are at least two other large sphingids
in the area, these are probably taken as well.&nbsp; Grasshoppers are also
taken, as are scorpions, lizards, sankes and nestlings of other bird species.
<p>I hope this helps.
<p>Pierre A Plauzoles
<br>sphinxangelorum at bigfoot.com
<br>&nbsp;</html>

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