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Size of Rabbits consumed by Black Kites increased after a Rabbit epizootic
Author(s) -
VILLAFUERTE R.,
VIÑUELA J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
mammal review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.574
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1365-2907
pISSN - 0305-1838
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2907.1999.2940261.x
Subject(s) - epizootic , rabbit (cipher) , biology , zoology , veterinary medicine , virology , mathematics , statistics , medicine , outbreak
Rabbits are the staple prey for Black Kites in Matasgordas, south‐western Spain. Because of their poor predatory skills, it has been considered that most of the Rabbits consumed by Kites were young and affected by myxomatosis. After rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) arrived in Spain, and since most of the Rabbits affected were adults, it was expected that the raptor would benefit with the incorporation of larger Rabbits in its diet. In concordance with that prediction, during the immediate three years before the arrival of RHD (1987–89), average size of Rabbits consumed by nestling Black Kites were similar and corresponded to the size of those Rabbits affected by myxomatosis. However, after RHD arrival in 1990, sizes of Rabbits consumed by Kites increased, corresponding to the age more frequently affected by RHD.