Status and wintering time budget of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) at El Eulma wetland complex Northeast Algeria
Paper Details
Status and wintering time budget of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) at El Eulma wetland complex Northeast Algeria
Abstract
The present study was conducted for three consecutive years 2007-2010 to study the ecologic status of Anas platyrhynchos and the diurnal behavior for the winter season 2009-2010 at El Eulma wetlands complex northeast Algeria. Half monthly counts depicted the phenology of Mallard where the first winter visitors arrive in early September, reach a large size between late September and early October, disperse in mid-winter and occupy the sites during breeding season till early summer. Mallard population frequenting mainly S. Bazer (Ramsar Site) exhibited stability through the three- year period observations and had a high attraction to this site. Monitoring diurnal activity time budget using scan sampling method every half-hour for eight hours during the wintering season displays that the dominant behaviours are sleeping and resting that account for 85.18% and 4.23%, respectively of mean percentage time spent. Whereas, Feeding accounts for only 3%; comfort activities account for less than 5 %. Moreover, Mallard shows a great flexibility in foraging methods with dominance of dabbling (59%) followed by surface feeding (24%) and finally grazing on the shores (17%). Thus, the results suggest that El Eulma wetlands complex is one of the main wintering quarters in Algeria for Mallard and S. Bazer is used as daylight roost area.
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Baaziz Nasser, Bouchibi Baaziz Nacéra, Touati Laid (2017), Status and wintering time budget of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) at El Eulma wetland complex Northeast Algeria; IJB, V10, N5, May, P239-249
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