Diet of the black-headed heron

21februari2007
Source: G. Kopij, Biologia, Volume 61, Number 2, 2006
During the breeding season in South African grasslands,the diet of the black-headed heron (Ardea melanocephala) was studied using analysis of pellets and prey remnants (225 prey items identified)
Collections from four sites in South African Highveld Grassland, transformed into cultivated fields. Small vertebrates comprised the staple food of chicks. Rodents were the most important vertebrate prey. Otomys irroratus comprised ca. 50% of the total biomass of vertebrate prey consumed. The diet was supplemented by small lizards, snakes, frogs and fishes. Grasshoppers, beetles, crabs and other arthropods were occasionally preyed upon.