Stable isotope analysis reveals seasonal dietary patterns of Eleonora’s Falcons in the Galite Archipelago in Tunisia
摘要
Understanding the dietary ecology of migratory raptors is critical in trophic ecology, especially under accelerating environmental change that alters prey availability. This study investigates the feeding ecology of Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae) using stable isotope analysis of carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N), and sulfur (δ34S) in feathers collected from 19 individuals and associated prey remains in nests. The isotopic data revealed significant variation in adults, particularly elevated δ15N values in basal feather segments, indicating a dietary shift toward higher trophic-level prey, mainly migratory passerines, during post-breeding migration. Quantitative analysis showed that passerines constituted 83.8% of the falcons’ diet in this period, with the Common Whitethroat (Curruca communis), Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), and Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops) being the most frequently consumed species, while insects accounted for only 16.2%. Isotopic differences among prey highlighted higher δ15N and δ34S values in passerines compared to insects. These results suggest that Eleonora’s Falcon heavily depends on migratory passerines during chick-rearing, underscoring the species’ vulnerability to fluctuations in prey availability caused by environmental changes. The study enhances the understanding of the trophic ecology of Eleonora’s Falcon and calls for further research on the dynamics of migratory prey populations to inform conservation efforts.