Food of roseate spoonbill, Ajaia ajaja (Linnaeus, 1758) in Central Brazil (Ciconiiformes, Threskiornithidae)

Abstract

Analysis of 20 stomachs of adult Roseate Spoonbills obtained near the Fontoura Indian Post, Bananal island, State of Tocantins, revealed 14 different food items among fishes (99% of total volume) and aquatic insects (0.4% of total volume). According to the results obtained, local birds seem to be typical predators of small and sluggish organisms, which could explain the large amount of juvenile Cichlidae (Cichlasoma sp., Aequidens sp.) recorded, and also the noticeable presence of “seat and wait” species (e.g. Characidium sp., Crenicichla sp., Hoplias sp.). From the 1,024 fishes obtained in ten stomachs, 710 are specimens of Characidium sp. or young Aequidens sp. and Cichlasoma sp. smaller than 30mm long (70.14%). Totalling 292 specimens, juveniles of Cichlasoma sp. represented 28.51% of all fishes identified, being the most frequent item.