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Volume 50, No. 1

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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

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


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