Perch selection of three species of kingfishers at the Pantanal of Brazil

Abstract

Selecting a suitable perch can offer many benefits for fish–eating birds such as kingfishers. However, factors affecting perch selection in these species remain poorly studied. We studied perch selection in three species of kingfishers inhabiting the Pantanal of Brazil during the dry season: Megaceryle torquata, Chloroceryle amazon, and Chloroceryle americana. First,we determined the habitat use of the three species. We then assessed the perches these kingfishers used based on four ecologically relevant traits: (1) artificial or natural, (2) perch height, (3) distance to the water, and (4) plant cover. We hypothesized that artificial perches could be more likely selected as they may offer better visibility to fish. We used a resource selection function (RSF), in a case/control design, solving it by model selection of six conditional logistic regression competing models. The probability of presence was independent of the artificial origin of a perch for the three species. It was also independent of the other studied variables, except for individuals of C. amazona, which selected higher perches. We conclude that artificial perches do not influence perch selection of the studied kingfishers, which may indicate that these artificial structures are not altering their behavioral choices.