Provisioning with cereal grain depresses the body condition of insectivorous Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella nestlings |
| |
| Authors: | David JT Douglas Steve J Moreby Tim G Benton |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Institute of Integrative and Comparative Biology , University of Leeds , Leeds , LS2 9JT , UK david.douglas@rspb.org.uk;3. The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Burgate Manor , Fordingbridge , Hampshire , SP6 1EF , UK;4. Institute of Integrative and Comparative Biology , University of Leeds , Leeds , LS2 9JT , UK |
| |
| Abstract: | Capsule The body condition of nestling Yellowhammers was negatively correlated with the amount of cereal grain in the diet. This supports the hypothesis that cereal grain is an inferior nestling food relative to invertebrates. Cereal grain is frequently provisioned to nestlings in a range of bunting species breeding on farmland, suggesting that invertebrates may be limiting in these habitats. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
