Parental Activities of Nesting Wood Storks Relative to Time of Day, Tide Level and Breeding Stage
A LAWRENCE BRYAN, JR.1,2, JOEL W. SNODGRASS3,JOHN
R ROBINETTE4,
AND LARA B. HOPKINS1,5
1Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, PO Drawer E, Aiken, SC
29802 USA
2Correspondence author; Internet: bryan@srel.edu
3Towson University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Towson, MD
21252 USA
4U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Savannah Coastal Refuges,
Savannah, GA31405 USA
5Current address: South Carolina Center for Birds of Prey,
Charleston, SC 29402 USA
Abstract-In 1995, parental activities of Wood Storks
(Mycteria americana) were monitored in three coastal colonies
during a series of 24-h long observation periods to document attendance,
foraging, and other activities in relation to time of day, tide level,
and breeding stage. During 5,400 nest-hours of observations, nest attendance
declined and feeding rates increased with nestling developmental stage.
Although some feeding arrivals occurred during darkness, the great majority
of arrivals (including feeding) occurred during daylight periods. Mean
times of return from feeding trips varied significantly among colonies
and nestling developmental stages. Feeding arrivals were linked to tides,
suggesting that most foraging occurred during the preceding low tide period.
Inter,olony variation in foraging arrival times and interactions with
tides were likely associated with differences in proximity to for- aging
sites and availability of both tidal and non-tidal (freshwater) foraging
habitats.
Key words.-attendance, coastal, feeding, foraging behavior,
Mycterica americana, parental activities, tide, time of day,
Wood Storks.
SREL Reprint #2883
Bryan, A. L., Jr., J. W. Snodgrass, J. R. Robinette and L. B. Hopkins. 2005. Parental activities of nesting wood storks relative to time of day, tide level and breeding stage. Waterbirds 28:139-145.
