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P0449-P0451.Pdf SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 449 aspects of temperature regulation in the Burrow- ical contamination in golden eagles in south- ing Owl, Speotyto cunicularia. Camp. Biochem. western Idaho. MS. thesis. Univ. of Idaho. Physiol. 35: 307-337. Moscow, Idaho. FITCH, H. S. 1974. Observations on the food and NELSON, M. 1969. Status of the peregrine falcon in nesting of the Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo the northwest, p. 64-72. In J. J. Hickey [ed.], platypterus) in northern Kansas. Condor 76: Peregrine Falcon populations, their biology and 331-333. decline. Univ. of Wisconsin Press, Madison, FITCH, H. S., F. SWENSON AND D. F. TILLOTSON. Wisconsin. 1946. Behavior and food habits of the Red- SOUTHWICK, E. E. 1973. Remote sensing of body tailed Hawk. Condor 48:205-237. temperature in a captive 25-G bird. Condor GATEHOUSE, S. N. AND B. J. MARKHAM. 1970. 75 :464-466. Respiratory metabolism of three species of rap- WARHAM, J. 1971. Body temperatures of petrels. tors. Auk 87:738-741. Condor 73:214-219. HATCH, D. E. 1970. Energy conservation and heat dissipating mechanisms of the Turkey Vulture. Department of Biology, Northwest Nazarene College, Auk 87:111-124. Nampa, Idaho 83651. Accepted for publication 26 KOCHERT, M. N. 1972. Population status and chem- February 1978. Cudor, 80:449-451 0 The Cooper Ornithological Society 1978 PREDATION ON VERTEBRATES times (Table 1). At least six attacks were successful; BY CLARKS’ NUTCRACKERS on the other occasions, the prey escaped by entering a burrow or bush. Beldings’ Ground Squirrels were attacked most BARRY S. MULDER frequently ( 54% ), but because our observations BRIAN B. SCHULTZ were concentrated on that species the nutcrackers ’ AND apparent preference for them may be exaggerated. Predation attempts on the squirrels were most suc- PAUL W. SHERMAN cessful in 1977 (Table 1 ), perhaps due to unusual weather. From 30 April until 26 May 1977 it stormed Bent (1946) and Goodwin (1976) have suggested daily, with intermittent snowfalls, subfreezing tem- that various species in the family Corvidae are “op- peratures, and high winds (Morton and Sherman portunistic” feeders and that predatory behavior is not 1978). More than 60% of Tioga Pass S. beldingi unusual among crows. Of i9 species in eight genera perished during the storm. Most either starved or of North American corvids for which Bent gave data were preyed on by conspecific ground squirrels or on diet, 25 (86%) sometimes kill their own prey; nutcrackers. Usually when nutcrackers landed near of these 25, 13 (52% ) occasionally kill small mam- adult ground squirrels the latter did not flee, give mals. Here we report 13 observations of Clarks’ aerial predator alarm calls (Turner 1973), or other- Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columhiana) attacking verte- wise alter their behavior. These observations suggest brates in the central Sierra Nevada. We also saw the that Clarks’ Nutcrackers infrequently prey on the birds feeding on road kills 16 times. squirrels, for they were not regarded as predators. Although conifer seeds are the main food of these Probably nutcrackers are especially likely to attack birds (Vander Wall and Balda 1977, Tomback ground squirrels successfully when the latter are weak, 1977), they frequently eat meat. For example, ill, or behaving abnormally, as they were during the the stomachs of 426 nutcrackers from Montana con- 1977 spring snowstorm (Table 1). tained, by volume, 83% conifer seeds, 13% arthro- A typical nutcracker attack on a squirrel occurred pods, and 3% mammal remains; 98% of them con- on 15 May 1977, at the height of the storm. The tained seeds, 59% contained arthropods, and 12% ground squirrel, an emaciated adult female (Morton contained mammal remains (Giuntoli and Mewaldt and Sherman 1978) was foraging near her burrow 1978). Cottam ( 1945) reported similar stomach when a nutcracker landed about a meter away. When contents from ten birds. Sometimes the meat is the bird swooped down, the mammal ceased foraging, carrion (Bradbury 1917, Munro 1919, Cottam 1945, looked up, then continued to feed. The nutcracker Bent 1946), but often nutcrackers kill their own prey: pecked at the ground and moved closer to the n~olluscs (Decker and Bowles 1931), insects ( Skinner squirrel, alternately facing away from and sideways 1916, Decker and Bowles 1931, Bent 1946), birds ’ to it. Suddenly the bird flew to the ground squirrels’ eggs (Munro 1919, Bent 1946, French 1955), nest- side and jabbed the animals’ head with its bill. In lings (Rowley 1939, French 1955), adult birds (Mac- contrast to Dixons’ (1956) account of a “battle” Cracken 1949), and small mammals (Bainbridge 1956, between a nutcracker and a (healthy?) ground squir- Dixon 1956). rel, there was no struggle in this instance. The We observed predation by Clarks’ Nutcrackers weakened animal apparently was killed instantly by while studying Beldings’ Ground Squirrels ( Sper- the nutcrackers’ blow near its eye. After repeatedly mophilus beldingi) on a subalpine meadow at Tioga pecking its victims’ skull, the bird ate most of the side Pass, Mono County, California (elevation about of the squirrels’ face and brain before we chased it off 3,000 m). The study area was described by Morton to recover the carcass. The speed and accuracy of the ( 1975) and Sherman ( 1977). During May-August birds’ attack suggests that Clarks’ Nutcrackers are of 1974-1977, 16 observers spent 3,817 hours watch- familiar with preying on at least some small verte- ing squirrels and as many non-observation hours at the brates. Gill ( 1974) made a similar suggestion about study area. We saw nutcrackers attack vertebrates 13 Gray Jays (Perisoreus canadensis) after observing the 450 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS TABLE 1. Predation attempts by Clarks’ Nutcrackers on vertebrates observed during 1974-1977 at Tioga Pass, Mono Co., California. Date of attack Speciesattacked Age of prey Prey killed? 23 May 1974 Mountain Vole Adult Yes ( Microtus montanus) 19 May 1975 Mountain Vole Adult Yes 2 June 1975 Beldings’ Ground Squirrel l-Year No ( Spermophilus beldingi) 3 August 1975 Beldings’ Ground Squirrel Juvenile No 2 May 1976 Pocket Gopher Adult (?) No ( Thomomys monticola) 10 May 1976 Mountain Vole Adult Yes 25 May 1976 Beldings’ Ground Squirrel l-Year No 15 May 1977 Beldings’ Ground Squirrel Adult Yes 17 May 1977 Beldings’ Ground Squirrel Adult No 20 May 1977 Beldings’ Ground Squirrel Adult Yes 20 May 1977 Beldings’ Ground Squirrel l-Year Yes 31 May 1977 Yosemite Toad Adult No (Bufo canorus) 11 July 1977 White-crowned Sparrow Nestling * (Zonotrichia leucophrys) * Fate unknown; carried off. nearly instantaneous death of a Red-backed vole Third, Dixons’ ( 1956) observations suggest that (Clethrionomys gapperi) following a jays’ bill-jab Clarks’ Nutcrackers may regularly feed their young to its skull. meat. If so, attacks in the early spring (Table 1) Although nutcrackers are gregarious, often forag- might be due to the presence of hungry nestlings ing in small groups (Bent 1946), more than one was (Bradbury 1917, Mewaldt 1956). involved in only 3 of I3 predation attempts we ob- Finally as suggested by Bent (1946) and Tom- served. However in all six cases of successful preda- back ( 1977), Clarks’ Nutcrackers are “opportunistic” tion, at least one nutcracker other than the killer feeders. Changes in the non-vegetable portion of their arrived at the carcass soon after the kill; twice, two diets nrobablv are influenced bv the availabilitv of additional birds and once three birds arrived. Familial prey. *Our observations suggest that nutcracker pre-‘ relationships among these birds were not known. Oc- dation was unusual in 1974-1977 but that nutcrackers, casionally several nutcrackers shared a carcass. More like many other corvids (Bent 1946, Goodwin 1976)) often the birds were antagonistic, competing for meat are omnivorous and prey on small vertebrates when- by jerking the carcass away from each other and at- ever possible. tempting to fly off with it. For assistance in the field we thank L. Blumer, K. Dunnv. M. Flinn. S. Flinn. S. Gurkewitz. C. Kaearise. Why did nutcrackers prey on vertebrates in 197P I , 1977? First, snow cover may encourage or facilitate J. Kenrick, D. Knapp, D. Kuchapsky, J. Odenheimer, predation by making potential prey more visible, as M. Roth, D. Weber, and C. Wood. For other assis- suggested by Gill ( 1974). Seven of 13 predation at- tance we thank C. Bock, C. Eden, J. Davis, N. John- tempts we witnessed took place on snow-covered son. C. Kaearise. L. R. Mewaldt. M. Morton. and D. ground. Snow cover probably also enhanced our Tomback. -Our studies‘ were supported by the‘ Na- ability to observe predator-prey interactions. It also tional Science Foundation, the American Philosoph- is possible that deep snow or ice covered nutcrackers ’ ical Society, the Museum of Zoology at the University seed “caches” (Bock et al. 1973, Vander Wall and of Michigan, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and Balda 1977, Tomback 1977) in the springs of 1974- the Miller Institute at the University of California, 1977, forcing the birds to search for foods alternative Berkeley. to conifer seeds. For 10 of the 13 attacks the study meadow and the area surrounding it were at least LITERATURE CITED 75% snow covered, and mean snow depth at attack BAINBRIDGE, R. E. 1956. The omnivorous crow. sites was 30 ? 10 (SD) cm. Yosemite Nature Notes 35: 165-166. Second, during 1974-1977 the birds ’ seed caches BENT, A. C. 1946. Life histories of North American could have been inadequate, because of either local jays, crows, and titmice, parts 1 and 2. U.S. conifer seed scarcity or cone crop “failure” in the Natl. Mus. Bull. 191. Sierra Nevada (Davis and Williams 1957. 1964). BOCK, W. J., R. P. BALDA, ANIJ S. B. VANDER WALL. However conifer seed crops, in particular those of 1973. Morphology of the sublingual pouch and Whitebark Pine (Pinus aZbicauZis)-the major nut- tongue musculature in Clarks’ Nutcracker.
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