Diet of three insectivorous birds in Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India – a preliminary study

Abstract

The dietary composition of the White-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis, the Small Bee-eater Merops orientalis and the Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus was studied between 2005 and 2006 in Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India by analyzing regurgitated pellets. The analysis revealed that the White-breasted Kingfisher preys mainly on arthropods (83.40%) and less on vertebrates; seven orders of insects were identified, with Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and Orthoptera predominant. The small bee-eater diet is composed of Coleoptera (22.3%), Hymenoptera (20.8%), Hemiptera (14.1%), Orthoptera (12.6%), Odonata (10.7%), Lepidoptera (10.4%) and Diptera (8.6%). Beetles were also found to be the most frequent prey (23.7%) in the diet of black drongos, followed by Hemiptera (21.6%), Orthoptera (19.3%), Hymenoptera (14.4%), Lepidoptera (7.5%), Diptera (6.8%) and Odonata (6.0%).