SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 443

Wilson Bull., 11l(3), 1999, pp. 443-444

Foraging Follows Armadillo

Douglas J. Levey ’

ABSTRACT-I report an observation of a foraging stopped briefly (< 10 s) to dig or push its Ovenbird (Seiurus uurocapiZZus) following a nine- snout into the leaf litter. The Ovenbird did not banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), near approach the armadillos’ head during these Gainesville, . Close attendance only while the armadillo was moving and disturbing leaf litter sug- times but rather remained by its tail. On two gests the Ovenbird was taking advantage of increased occasions the armadillo stopped for l-2 min prey availability caused by the armadillos’ flushing of and the Ovenbird walked 2-3 m away from insects. Received 27 May 1998, accepted I Oct. 1998. it. When the armadillo started to move again, the Ovenbird immediately resumed following it, once returning by flight. It frequently Many species of forage in association pecked at the leaf litter. I was unable to de- with groups of other species. The two most termine if these presumed foraging attempts common explanations of such interspecific were successful. They did not appear more groups relate to decreased risk of frequent when the Ovenbird was following and increased foraging efficiency (Bertram close behind the armadillo than when it tem- 1978). Foraging efficiency can be increased porarily foraged by itself. I did not notice any via several mechanisms (Morse 1970). Per- insects being flushed by the armadillo, but haps the least-well studied mechanism occurs there was heavy shade and I lacked binocu- when one species follows another species and lars. I stopped my observation when the ar- captures prey incidentally flushed by the sec- madillo walked into a clearing and the Ov- ond species. Such a relationship between “fol- enbird did not follow. lowers” and “beaters” has been reported for The behavior of the Ovenbird suggests its groups of birds and groups of cattle (Scot association with the armadillo was not due to 1984), dolphins (Evans 1987), primates (Ter- both being attracted to an area of high borgh 1983, Boinski and Scott 1988), wolves prey abundance. In particular, its close prox- (Silveira et al. 1997), ants (Willis and Oniki imity to the armadillo only when the armadillo 1978), and other birds (Bennetts and Dreitz was moving suggests it was using the arma- 1997). Here I report an observation of an Ov- dillo as a beater. A similar pattern of atten- enbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) following a dance has been noted for Double-toothed nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinc- Kites (Hurpagus didentutus), Gray-headed tus) . Tanagers (Eucometis pencillata), and Tawny- On 6 March 1998 at lo:35 EST along the rim of Paynes Prairie (Alachua County, Flor- winged Woodcreepers (Dendrocincla anaba- ida), I flushed an Ovenbird from the ground. tina) following Squirrel Monkey (Suimiri oer- After perching for l-2 min, it flew to the stedi) troops; attendance frequencies of these ground within 3 m of an armadillo. As the species were higher when the Squirrel Mon- armadillo started to move forward, the Ov- key troops were moving and foraging than enbird flew directly to it, landing approxi- when they were immobile (Boinski and Scott mately 30 cm from its tail and maintaining 1988). that distance of separation as the armadillo Despite high levels of disturbance created walked. I followed them for 17 min at a dis- by armadillos while foraging, I am unaware tance of lo-12 m. The armadillo often of any other published accounts of birds fol- lowing them. Further observations are re- quired before it can be concluded that the ’ ’ Dept. of Zoology, PO Box 118525, Univ. of Flor- ida, Gainesville, FL 3261 l-8525; I watched was not idiosyncratic and that Ov- E-mail: [email protected] enbirds benefit from following armadillos. 444 THE WILSON BULLETIN l Vol. III, No. 3, September 1999

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS EVANS, D. L. 1987. Dolphins as beaters for gulls? Bird Behav. 7:47-48. Thanks to E. Bollinger, S. Duncan, G. Pryor, K. MORSE, D. H. 1970. Ecological aspects of some mixed- Smith and an anonymous reviewer for constructive species foraging flocks of birds. Ecol. Monogr. 40: comments on the manuscript. 119-168. LITERATURE CITED SCOT, D. 1984. The feeding snccess of Cattle Egrets in flocks. Anim. Behav. 32: 1089-l 100. BENNETTS,R. E. AND V. DREITZ. 1997. Possible use of SILVEIRA, L., A. T. A. JACOMO, E H. G. RODRIGUES, wading birds as beaters by Snail Kites, Boat-tailed AND P. G. CRAWSHAW. 1997. Hunting association Grackles, and Limpkins. Wilson Bull. 109:169- between the Aplomado Falcon (F&o femoralis) 173. BERTRAM, B. C. R. 1978. Living in groups: predators and the Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) in and prey. Pp. 64-96 in Behavioural ecology (J. R. Emas National Park, central Brazil. Condor 99: Krebs and N. B. Davies, Eds.). Sinauer Press, 201-202. Sunderland, Massachusetts. TERBORGH,J. 1983. Five New World primates. Prince- BOINSKI, S. AND I? E. SCOTT. 1988. Association of birds ton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey. with monkeys in Costa Rica. Biotropica 20: 136- WILLIS, E. 0. AND Y. ONIKI. 1978. Birds and army ants. 143. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 9:243-263.