Nectar consumption of warblers after long‐distance flights during spring migration

摘要: The consumption of nectar by European passerines has been reported only occasionally. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and significance small passerine birds on spring migration after crossing Mediterranean Sea. On Ventotene Island in Tyrrhenian Sea, four migrating species Sylvia warblers (Garden Warbler S. borin, Subalpine cantillans, Whitethroat communis, Blackcap atricapilla) regularly foraged two most common flowering at that time year, Brassica fruticulosa (Cruciferae) giant fennel Ferula communis (Umbelliferae), while other visited flowers occasionally or not all. Feeding behaviour, pollen traces head, examination sugar remains droppings indicated was main target warblers, rather than insects flowers. This confirmed food choice experiments indicating a clear preference Garden Warblers Whitethroats for from artificial over mealworms. Although conclusive are available, hypothesize might be diet easy to obtain absorb long-distance flight which they have incurred depletion energy stores reduction digestive tract.