Why do Montagu’s Harriers disturb foraging sessions of White Storks in south-east Poland? - I. Kitowski. - Berkut. 16 (1). 2007. - P. 110-118.
Montagu’s Harriers nest sympatrically with White Storks in SE Poland. Most of Montagu’s Harrier females are capable of modifying the foraging efficiency of White Storks by performing selective dives on foraging birds in habitat patches, which are optimal for foraging the raptor. In such habitats storks are fiercely attacked, their foraging sessions are shortened and their foraging efficiency is reduced. This phenomenon may reflect simultaneous tendency of both species for optimal habitat monopolisation during breeding. It is may be related to observed nest site fidelity of considered species. [English].
Key words: White Stork, Ciconia ciconia, Montagu’s Harrier, Circus pygargus, behaviour, foraging.
Address: Department of Nature Conservation, Institute of Biology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, PL 20-033 Lublin, Poland; e-mail: ignacyk@autograf.pl.