Food of black francolin (Francolinus francolinus henrici) in Lal Suhanra National Park, Pakistan
2011
Khan, W.A. (PMAS Arid Agriculture Univ., Rawalpindi (Pakistan). Dept. of Zoology) | Mian, A. (PMAS Arid Agriculture Univ., Rawalpindi (Pakistan). Dept. of Zoology)
Keeping to the persistent concern of wildlife enthusiasts regarding decline of the Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus) and general absence of quantified studies on feeding biology, the present attempt was designed to study the relative dependence of this Francolin on different animal and plant species, seasonal variation in food intake and the association of grit with different broad type of food. For the purpose 28 crop contents (spring = 8, summer = 7, autumn = 6, winter = 7) were collected from the birds hunted during 1998 from the Lal Suhanra National Park, Bahawalpur, Punjab (Pakistan) through the courtesy of local hunters. The study suggested that on the average the species consumed seeds (43.33 plus minus 7.30%) and leaves (8.12 plus minus 1.31%) of 33 plant and 11 animal texa (mainly insects and earthworm (32.94 plus minus 5.43%). The species composition of contents varied between different seasons, however, animals and leaves were consumed in higher quantities during summer and spring and seeds in autumn and winter. Grit was positively associated with seeds (R2 = 0.8318) and negatively with animals (R2 = - 0.8738) and leaves (R2 = - 0.539).
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