Social foraging and feeding environment of the black-crowned night heron in an industrialized estuary

Bird Behaviour
By: , and 

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Abstract

A nesting colony of more than 300 pairs of Black-crowned Night-Herons in the Patapsco River estuary, Baltimore Harber, Maryland was monitored from May to July 1988. The departure direction and departure time of each Heron was recorded during mornjng and evening observations at the colony. In addition, individual Herons were followed to landing sites in the estuary with small boats and aircraft. Herons appear to be quite social in foraging and may concentrate their feeding in some of the most industrialized parts of the estuary. Night-Herons may prosper in urban environments because some of their prey are attracted to intense shoreline illumination at night. New quantitative methods were developed to cope with the lack of statistical independence when dealing with social species.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Social foraging and feeding environment of the black-crowned night heron in an industrialized estuary
Series title Bird Behaviour
DOI 10.3727/015613890791749037
Volume 9
Issue 1-2
Year Published 1991
Language English
Publisher Cognizant Communication Corporation
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 9 p.
First page 94
Last page 102
Country United States
State Maryland
Other Geospatial Baltimore Harbor, Patapsco River estuary
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