Commensalism in the Little Blue Heron
Kushlan JA. 1978. Commensalism in the Little Blue Heron. The Auk. 95(4):677-681
The article details a study conducted by the author in March of 1976 when he observed the feeding habits of Little Blue Herons in the Everglades. By comparing the foraging habits of Little Blue Herons feeding near a White Ibis (commensalism) to those feeding alone, the author found that herons increased the number of prey caught because of the commensal association. Article offers an analysis of the amount of energy expended for commensal and solitary feeding herons versus feeding success rates.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Kushlan, James
- Units
- EVER
- Keywords
- Animal Behavior, Animal Studies, commensalism, Feeding, little blue heron (Egretta caerulea), White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)