Feeding flights of nesting wading birds at a Virginia colony

Colonial Waterbirds
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Abstract

Feeding flights of Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula), Tricolored Herons (E. tricolor), Little Blue Herons (E. caerulea), and Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) were monitored at a small nesting colony near Chincoteague, Virginia during late May and June 1979. All four species varied their flight directions over a series of days. Cattle Egrets oriented in a different direction (toward uplands) from the other three wetland-feeding species, which oriented toward Spartina marsh areas. None of the species showed a tendency to form groups while departing from or arriving at the colony. Tide level had little influence on flight directions used. Comparisons are made between these results and those from a similar study in coastal North Carolina.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Feeding flights of nesting wading birds at a Virginia colony
Series title Colonial Waterbirds
DOI 10.2307/1521084
Volume 7
Issue 1
Year Published 1984
Language English
Publisher Waterbird Society
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 6 p.
First page 74
Last page 79
Country United States
State Virginia
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