Cs. Romanek et al., Foraging ecology of the endangered wood stork recorded in the stable isotope signature of feathers, OECOLOGIA, 125(4), 2000, pp. 584-594
Down feathers and regurgitant were collected from nestling wood storks (Myc
teria americana) from two inland and two coastal breeding colonies in Georg
ia. The stable isotopic ratios of carbon (C-13/C-12) and nitrogen (N-15/N-1
4) in these materials were analyzed to gain insights into the natal origins
of juvenile storks and the foraging activities of adults. Down feathers di
ffered in delta C-13 between inland and coastal colonies, having average is
otopic values that reflected the sources of carbon fixed in biomass at the
base of the food web. Feathers from the inland colonies differed between co
lonies in delta N-15, while those from the coastal colonies did not. These
patterns primarily reflected the foraging activities of parent storks, with
individuals capturing differing percentages of prey of distinct trophic st
atus at each colony. Collectively, the carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatu
res of feather keratin were used to distinguish nestlings from each colony,
except for instances where storks from different colonies foraged in commo
n wetlands. The stable isotopic composition of food items in regurgitant wa
s used to reconstruct the trophic structure of the ecosystems in which wood
storks foraged. Predicted foraging activities based on the isotopic compos
ition of keratin were generally consistent with the percentage of prey type
s (freshwater vs, saltwater and lower trophic level vs. upper trophic level
consumer) observed in regurgitant, except for the coastal colony at St. Si
mons Island, where the delta C-13 of feathers strongly suggested that fresh
water prey were a significant component of the diet. This inconsistency was
resolved by aerial tracking of adults during foraging excursions using a f
ixed-wing aircraft. Observed foraging activities supported interpretations
based on the stable isotope content of feathers, suggesting that the latter
provided a better record of overall foraging activity than regurgitant ana
lysis alone. Observed foraging patterns were compared to the predictions of
a statistical model that determined habitat utilization based on habitat a
vailability using a geographic information system (GIS) database. Observed
foraging activities and those predicted from feathers both suggested that s
ome adult storks preferred to feed their young freshwater prey, even when s
altwater resources were more accessible in the local environment, This conc
lusion supports the contention that wood stork populations are sensitive to
changes in the distribution of freshwater habitats along the southeastern
coastal plain of the United States.