Provision of food and water is a widespread tool implemented around the world for the benefit of game and other wildlife,but factors affecting the use of food and water by non-target species are poorly known.We evalua...Provision of food and water is a widespread tool implemented around the world for the benefit of game and other wildlife,but factors affecting the use of food and water by non-target species are poorly known.We evaluated visits to feeders and water troughs by non-game species using camera-traps in two separate areas of Spain.Feeders and water troughs were either“protected”(when surrounded by more than 50%of shrubs/forest)or“open”(in the opposite case).A total of 18948 photos from 5344 camera-trapping days depicted animals,and 75 species were identified.Feeders and water troughs were visited by target species(partridges and lagomorphs,55.3%of visits)and non-target species(44.7%of visits).Among the latter,corvids were themost common(46.1%of visits),followed by rodents(26.8%),other birds(23.6%,mainly passerines),columbids(1.9%),and other species at minor percentages.The highest proportion of visiting days to feeders and water troughs was from corvids(0.173)followed by otherbirds(0.109)and rodents(0.083);the lowest proportion was recorded for columbids(0.016).Use intensity and visit frequency of water troughs tripled that recorded in feeders,and visits to open feeders/troughs were approximately twice those to protected ones.In summary:feeders and water troughs targeting small game species are also used regularly by non-target ones;they should be set close to cover to optimize their use by non-target species that are not competitors of target species(though corvids may visit them);water availability should be prioritized where drought periods are expected.展开更多
文摘Provision of food and water is a widespread tool implemented around the world for the benefit of game and other wildlife,but factors affecting the use of food and water by non-target species are poorly known.We evaluated visits to feeders and water troughs by non-game species using camera-traps in two separate areas of Spain.Feeders and water troughs were either“protected”(when surrounded by more than 50%of shrubs/forest)or“open”(in the opposite case).A total of 18948 photos from 5344 camera-trapping days depicted animals,and 75 species were identified.Feeders and water troughs were visited by target species(partridges and lagomorphs,55.3%of visits)and non-target species(44.7%of visits).Among the latter,corvids were themost common(46.1%of visits),followed by rodents(26.8%),other birds(23.6%,mainly passerines),columbids(1.9%),and other species at minor percentages.The highest proportion of visiting days to feeders and water troughs was from corvids(0.173)followed by otherbirds(0.109)and rodents(0.083);the lowest proportion was recorded for columbids(0.016).Use intensity and visit frequency of water troughs tripled that recorded in feeders,and visits to open feeders/troughs were approximately twice those to protected ones.In summary:feeders and water troughs targeting small game species are also used regularly by non-target ones;they should be set close to cover to optimize their use by non-target species that are not competitors of target species(though corvids may visit them);water availability should be prioritized where drought periods are expected.
