Foraging plasticity in Chilean flamingos: influence of water depth, food abundance and intra-flock distances

• DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2024.2307025
• Publication Date: 2024-02-23T09:25:48Z
• Authors: Henrique C. Delfino; Caio J. Carlos
• Keywords: Flock

In a natural context, many avian species exhibit the ability to assess and balance factors such as food availability, quality, energy expenditure when making foraging decisions. However, behaviours can also diverge from predictions, influenced by range of variables, including social behaviours, predation pressures, individual personalities. Chilean flamingos, popular birds native South America, remain relatively underexplored in terms their ecology interplay between environmental conditions especially within context conservation. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted comprehensive study, collecting monthly physical biological data flocks flamingos at Lagoa do Peixe National Park, vital contra-nuptial site located southern Brazil, spanning October 2021 September 2022. We employed Generalized Linear Mixed Models establish correlations dataset relative frequency duration four identified behaviours: Pecking up, Head-dipping, Feet-trembling, Dredging. Our findings substantiate that patterns exhibited region are intricately linked trade-off rewards obtained, primarily lagoon depth availability resources. Moreover, our results unveil parabolic pattern distances maintained flock, potentially attributed facilitate dynamics larger groups, despite concurrent increase aggressive interactions. summary, study underscores multifaceted variables influence strategies significant area Brazil. It sheds light on behavioural adaptability these potential repercussions dynamic population performance fitness.