Food provisioning lowers inter-clutch interval in moorhens Gallinula chloropus
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Published source details
Eden S.F., Horn A.G. & Leonard M.L. (1989) Food provisioning lowers inter-clutch interval in moorhens Gallinula chloropus. Ibis, 131, 429-432.
Published source details Eden S.F., Horn A.G. & Leonard M.L. (1989) Food provisioning lowers inter-clutch interval in moorhens Gallinula chloropus. Ibis, 131, 429-432.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Provide supplementary food for rails and coots to increase reproductive success Action Link |
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Provide supplementary food for rails and coots to increase reproductive success
A replicated cross-over trial in a waterfowl park in Cambridgeshire, UK (Eden et al. 1989), during spring and summer 1986 and 1987 found that common moorhens Gallinula chloropus had less time between clutches when provided with supplementary food than when no food was provided (average of 43 days between broods when fed vs. 49.0 days when unfed, nine females tested). However, fed birds were not more likely to produce second broods (84% of 19 fed territories producing second broods vs. 70% of 44 controls). Supplementary food was provided by an ‘igloo-shaped feeder’ in each fed territory, from five days before the first clutch hatched until the second clutch (if produced) was completed.
