Menu

Volume 50, No. 1

Search by author or title:

Direct field observation reveals Whiskered Terns Chlidonias hybrida preying on fish much larger than themselves


Authors

MUHAMMAD IQBAL1, DENI MULYANA2, PORMANSYAH3, INDRA YUSTIAN4, ARUM SETIAWAN4 & HILDA ZULKIFLI4
1Biology Programme, Faculty of Science, Sriwijaya University, Jalan Padang Selasa 524, Palembang 30139, Indonesia (kpbsos26@yahoo.com)
2Berbak Sembilang National Park, South Sumatra office, Jalan Tanjung Api-api komplek Imadinatuna No. 114, South Sumatra, Indonesia
3Conservation Biology Programme, Faculty of Science, Sriwijaya University, Jalan Padang Selasa 524, Palembang 30139, Indonesia
4Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Sriwijaya University, Jalan Raya Palembang-Prabumulih km 32, Indralaya, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia

Citation

IQBAL, M., MULYANA, D., PORMANSYAH, YUSTIAN, I., SETIAWAN, A. & ZULKIFLI, H. 2022. Direct field observation reveals Whiskered Terns Chlidonias hybrida preying on fish much larger than themselves. Marine Ornithology 50: 19 - 21
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.50.1.1455

Received 23 September 2021, accepted 01 October 2021

Date Published: 2022/04/15
Date Online: 2022/02/10
Key words: Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida, diet, Sumatra, mudskipper

Abstract

A Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida, consistent with the species' aggressive nature, was observed to catch and then consume a Great Blue-spotted Mudskipper Boleophthalmus pectinirostris in the Nibung River, Banyuasin Peninsula, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. The fish was ca. 15 cm in length, which was perhaps equal to the tern's body length and more than double the size of its usual prey. The tern spent over 20 minutes eating the fish. Only direct, field observation would have revealed predation on this fish.

References


BARRETT, R.T., CAMPHUYSEN, C.J., ANKER-NILSSEN, T. ET AL. 2007. Diet studies of seabirds: a review and recommendations. ICES Journal of Marine Science 64: 1675-1691.

DEL HOYO, J. & COLLAR, N.J. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions.

DOSTINE, P.L. & MORTON, S.R. 1989. Feeding ecology of the Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida, in the Alligator Rivers Region, Northern-Territory. Australian Wildlife Research 16: 549-562.

EATON, J.A., VAN BALEN, B., BRICKLE, N.W. & RHEINDT, F.E. 2021. Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago, 2nd Edition. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions.

GOCHFELD, M. & BURGER, J. 1996. Family Sternidae (Terns). In: DEL HOYO, J., ELLIOT, A. & SARGATAL, J. (Eds). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Hoatzin to Auks, pp. 624-667. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions.

GWIAZDA, R. & LEDWOÑ, M. 2015. Sex-specific foraging behaviour of Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybrida) during the breeding season. Ornis Fennica 92: 15-22.

HARRISON, P., PERROW, M. & LARSSON, H. 2021. Seabirds: The New Identification Guide. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions.

IQBAL, M., HALIM, A., ADRIANI, D., PORMANSYAH & SAPUTRA, R.F. 2018. Range extension of Periophthalmodon septemradiatus (Gobiidae) in southern Sumatra, Indonesia. Cybium 42: 376-378.

MACKINNON, J. & PHILLIPPS, K. 1993. A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

OLSEN, K.M. & LARSSON, H. 1995. Terns of Europe and North America. New Jersey, USA: Princeton University Press.

PORMANSYAH, IQBAL, M., PUTRA, S., SETIAWAN, A., YUSTIAN, I. & ZULKIFLI, H. 2021. Similar but different: differences hitherto overlooked between Boleophthalmus pectinirostris and B. boddarti (Teleostei: Oxudercinae) in Indonesian Waters. Oceanography and Fisheries Open Access Journal 13: 555860.

PORMANSYAH, IQBAL, M., SETIAWAN, A., YUSTIAN, I. & ZULKIFLI, H. 2019. A review of recent status on mudskippers (oxudercine gobies) in Indonesian waters. Oceanography and Fisheries Open Access Journal 9: 555769.

SETIAWAN, A., IQBAL, M., PRISCILLIA, B., PORMANSYAH, SETIAWAN, D. & YUSTIAN, I. 2019. Linking a gap, First record of dusky-gilled mudskipper Periophthalmus variabilis Eggert, 1935 (Perciformes: Gobiidae) in southern Sumatra, Indonesia. Ecologica Montenegrina 24: 11-16.

Search by author or title:

Browse previous volumes: