The feeding ecology of Meyer's Parrot Poicephalus meyeri in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Abstract

The diet of Meyer's Parrot Poicephalus meyeri in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, was distinctly seasonal, comprising 71 different food items from 37 tree species in 16 families. During 480 road transects over 24 months, food item preferences closely tracked fruiting phenology, resulting in significant positive correlations between Levins’ niche breadth, rainfall and food resource availability. Meyer's Parrot can, therefore, be considered to be an opportunistic generalist that tracks resource availability across a wide suite of potential food items. Predispersal seed predation accounted for 62% of total feeding activity, of which 37% were seeds from ripe pods and fruits. Unripe seeds were, however, preferred when seasonally available. Seeds and parasites from fruits and pods accounted for 42% and 35% of total feeding bouts, respectively. Fruit pulp was predominantly consumed as a by-product of seed predation. Four arthropods, previously unknown in the diets of African parrots, were discovered during the breeding season. The most important tree species in their diet included (in order of magnitude): Kigelia africana, Diospyros mespiliformis, Combretum imberbe, Ficus sycomorus, Diospyros lycoides lycoides, Combretum hereroense and Berchemia discolor. Geophagy was reported in the questionnaire. There was no evidence to support any local migrations.