A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Molecular evidence of bird-eating behavior in Nyctalus aviator




AuthorsHeim O., Puisto A., Fukui D., Vesterinen E.

PublisherSpringer Verlag

Publication year2019

JournalActa ethologica

Journal name in sourceActa Ethologica

Volume22

Issue3

First page 223

Last page226

Number of pages4

ISSN0873-9749

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-019-00319-5

Web address https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10211-019-00319-5

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/41255308


Abstract

Insectivorous bats consume a large variety of food items. Previous observations of feathers found in feces led to the hypothesis that the birdlike noctule (Nyctalus aviator, Vespertilionidae) could prey on birds. To test the hypothesis, we analyzed fecal samples from six species (Barbastella pacifica, Murina hilgendorfi, Myotis frater, N. aviator, Plecotus sacrimontis, and Vespertilio sinensis) collected from central Hokkaido, Japan, via DNA barcoding. We identified the presence of the Middendorff’s grasshopper warbler (Locustella ochotensis) in the diet of a pregnant individual of N. aviator. All the other samples proved negative regarding bird prey DNA. This is the first time that the consumption of a bird by N. aviator is confirmed with molecular evidence. Our findings add invaluable insight into the diet of this bat and its potentially opportunistic foraging behavior.


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