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waders and their estuarine food supplies - Vlaams Instituut voor de ...

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PREY SIZE SELECTION AND INTAKE RATE<br />

50 60 10 20<br />

length ol Mytilus (mm)<br />

Fig. 7. Mytilus ediilis. Si/e classes selected by Oystercatchers (sha<strong>de</strong>dI compared 10 the si/e classes in Ihe prey population (solid line): A. total<br />

prej population: B. prey population corrected for 'effective touch area' (i.e. squared lengthi <strong>and</strong> so actually encountered. The data are from 9<br />

studies vv here Oystercatchers used the stabbine. technique to open Mussels: Blomert et al (1983). Hulscher (unpubl.). Koene (1978), Ens & Ainu-<br />

(1996b), /wans ,VJ Drent 119811. Zwarts lunpubt.).<br />

captive Oystercatchers were able to eat these size<br />

classes when the prey were buried jusl beneath the surface<br />

(Zwarts & Wanink 1984).<br />

Cerasto<strong>de</strong>rma edule<br />

Oystercatchers feeding on Cockles either make distinct<br />

pecks or move the bill through the substrate<br />

(Hulscher 1996). Pecking Oystercatchers taking Cockles<br />

use visual cues <strong>and</strong> do not peck at r<strong>and</strong>om<br />

(Hulscher 1976). This limits the validity of the r<strong>and</strong>om<br />

touch mo<strong>de</strong>l even though the effective touch area<br />

(Tahle 1) correctly measures the expected encounter<br />

rate. When the bill makes straight furrows through the<br />

mud. another r<strong>and</strong>om touch mo<strong>de</strong>l is more appropriate<br />

(Hulscher 1976).<br />

Oystercatchers do not take first year Cockles less<br />

than 10 mm long, when ol<strong>de</strong>r Cockles. 20 lo 40 mm<br />

long, are available (Drinnan 1957. Brown <strong>and</strong> O'Connor<br />

1974. (ioss-Cusiard ei al. 1977a. Sutherl<strong>and</strong><br />

1982c. Triplet 1989b. Hulscher unpubl.). When only<br />

first-year Cockles are present. Oystercaicliers may<br />

feed on them (Meire 1996b. Zwarts el al. 1996h.<br />

Piersma unpubl.). bui this rarely occurs. When only<br />

second year, <strong>and</strong> ol<strong>de</strong>r. Cockles are available, there is a<br />

reasonable coinci<strong>de</strong>nce between the obsened size selection<br />

<strong>and</strong> the selection predicted on the basis of r<strong>and</strong>om<br />

searching (Hulscher 1976. Leopold et al 1989).<br />

161<br />

Mytilus ediilis<br />

Oystercatchers use three techniques to open Mussels<br />

(Hulscher 1996). Briefly, ventral hammerers tear the<br />

Mussel from the bed. lum it over <strong>and</strong> liaimiiei a hole<br />

on the weak ventral si<strong>de</strong> (Norton-Griffiths 1967). Dorsal<br />

hammerers attack the Mussel in situ on its dorsal<br />

si<strong>de</strong> (Ens 1982). while stabbers stab, or force. Ihe bill<br />

between the valves. Each technique requires different<br />

measurements to <strong>de</strong>fine the fraction of prey actually<br />

available to Oystercatchers<br />

Stabbing Oystercatchers reject Mussels smaller<br />

than 20 to 25 mm long but take all larger size classes<br />

(Fig. 7A). Mussels larger than the apparent lower<br />

threshold of 20 to 25 mm are taken in proportions thai<br />

conform to the assumption lhat the likelihood of a<br />

Mussel being attacked is proportional to iis surface<br />

area. i.e. length squared (Fig. 7B). However, the rejection<br />

threshold differs between studies. When Mussels<br />

about 50 mm long are numerous, slabbing Oystercatchers<br />

may even reject Mussels as long as 40 mm<br />

(Zwarts & Drent 1981).<br />

Hammering Oystercatchers reject ihiek-shelled<br />

Mussels covered by barnacles (Durell & Goss-Custard<br />

1984. Meire & Ervynck 1986. Caj lord & Goss-Custard<br />

1990). This affects the frequency distribution of<br />

the si/e classes actually available to hammerers, since<br />

the larger Mussels are often encrusted by barnad.-

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