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Differences in the Utilization of Cultivated and Uncultivated Paddy Fields as Hunting Grounds by the Grey-faced Buzzard-eagle, Butastur indicus

2007; Volume: 39; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3312/jyio.39.19

1882-0999

Seishi Kadowaki, Taku Murayama, Yukihiko Kojima,

Species Distribution and Climate Change

Between April and June 1997, the hunting behavior of a Grey-faced Buzzard-eagle (Butastur indicus) pair was examined among three types of hunting ground in a satochi-satoyama (traditional Japanese rural landscape) area, Ibaraki Prefecture, central Japan. The proportion of time spent perching, and the frequency of perching and hunting per observation time in cultivated paddy fields were significantly greater than those in mixed paddy fields (both cultivated and uncultivated) and other areas (grassland, lawn grass fields, and park). Their food habits were also examined. Frogs were main prey item at 40.9% (N=18), followed by snakes (15.9%, N=7) and lizards (11.4%, N=5). Other prey items included freshwater crayfish (9.1%, N=4), grasshoppers (6.8%, N=3) and loaches (4.5%, N=2), which all inhabit paddy fields and the neighboring areas. Therefore, it appears that the presence of cultivated paddy fields is important for the conservation of Grey-faced Buzzard-eagles in a satochi-satoyama environment.