Food and Food Supply of Nestling Tits (Paridae) in Breckland Pine

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Abstract
The feeding ecology of Parus major, P. caeruleus, P. ater and P. montanus in plantations of Pinus sylvestris and P. nigra in Norfolk, England, during 5 breeding seasons 1952-56. The food of the young was recorded by direct observation and by sample meals collected with an artificial nestling gape. The caterpillar stock in pine was low in spring, and lower in Pinus nigra than in P. sylvestris. Tits collected much food for early broods from scattered broadleaved trees up to 400 m from their nests. All tits selected larger prey than those available at random in the pine. In general, the numbers of caterpillars eaten represented only a few per cent of those present.

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