Low Rate of Pre-Dispersal Acorn Predation by Eurasian Jays Garrulus glandarius during Non-Mast Years

Abstract

Mast-seeding is widely considered to be an adaptation that minimizes seed predation. The superabundance of seeds during mast years greatly exceeds the capacity of seed predators to consume them. These notions were based on research on food specialists such as insects and rodents. However, mast-seeding may have different impact on the behavior of corvids that are food generalists. The Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius is a widespread scatter-hoarding corvid that uses acorns as a food reserve for winter. In mast-years, the birds are supposed to be satiated by the greater seed supply and are able to store their surplus, acting as dispersal agents, whereas in poor crop seasons they use most of the crop for current consumption and thus become seed predators. In such a situation, a dispersal agent may become a seed predator, and vice versa. The main task of this study was to determine the levels of pre-dispersal acorn predation by Jays during non-mast years to verify the notion that under such conditions Jays act mostly as seed consumers. During two consecutive non-mast years, tagged acorns were radio-tracked and the acorns' fate (cached or eaten) was assessed. We found extremely low pre-dispersal acorn predation by Jays (0.9%). The possible reason is that temperatures in period of acorns collecting (September–October) are high enough to allow invertebrates to remain active, so the Jays may supplement their diet with insects and also fleshy fruits. Therefore, almost all acorns were cached and scatter-hoarding Jays provided effective seed dispersal, with extremely low consumption of acorns.