Subtitle:

Acta Ornithologica, vol. 34, no. 2 ; Ekomorfologia neotropikalnych ptaków owocożernych

Contributor:

Polska Akademia Nauk. Muzeum i Instytut Zoologii ; Meeting of the European Ornithologists' Union (2 ; 1999 ; Gdańsk)

Publisher:

Muzeum i Instytut Zoologii PAN

Place of publishing:

Warszawa

Description:

Referat wygłoszony na Second Meeting of the European Ornithologists' Union ; Bibliogr. p. 147 ; P. [141]-148 : ill. ; 27 cm ; Abstract in Polish

Type of object:

Journal/Article

Abstract:

Frugivory is widespread among birds and, at first glance, it is difficult to suggest states of external characters that would separate frugivorous birds from omnivores and carnivores. In the literature it has been suggested that body size and gape width increase with frugivory. It also has been stated that powerful morphological constraints act on behavioural differences among fruit-eating birds. This relates mainly to the way fruits are obtained by the birds, namely either on the wing or from a perch. We analysed behaviour and external morphological characters of Neotropical birds in a lowland rain forest in southern Venezuela to address these problems. Morphologically speaking, frugivores formed an ill defined subset of this avian community. Body size and gape width did not show a consistent relationship with frugivory. Reaching out and down, as well as taking fruits on the wing were the most common techniques used apart from simple gleaning. Body size constrains the evolution of corresponding characters. Evolutionary speaking, there are many roads to frugivory and only careful analyses of behavioural observations, and ecological data, paired with morphological considerations can uncover the general rules behind this diversity.

Relation:

Acta Ornithologica

Volume:

34

Issue:

2

Start page:

141

End page:

148

Detailed Resource Type:

Article

Format:

application/pdf

Resource Identifier:

oai:rcin.org.pl:45211

Source:

MiIZ PAN, call no. P.257, Vol. 34, No 2 ; MiIZ PAN, call no. P.4568, Vol. 34, No 2 ; click here to follow the link

Language:

eng ; pol

Rights:

Rights Reserved - Restricted Access

Terms of use:

Copyright-protected material. Access only on terminals at the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, may be used within the limits of statutory user freedoms.

Digitizing institution:

Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Original in:

Library of the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Projects co-financed by:

Programme Innovative Economy, 2010-2014, Priority Axis 2. R&D infrastructure ; European Union. European Regional Development Fund

Access:

Closed