Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) predation on passerine birds in Namibia

Portas, Ruben (author), Krofel, Miha (author)

Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are known for their flexible foraging behavior and trophic interactions with diverse prey species. However, most studies describing their hunting behavior are focused on predation of large prey. Here we describe the capture rates and behavior of adult and subadult spotted hyenas hunting passerine birds. Hyenas were actively chasing, catching and feeding on red-billed queleas (Quelea quelea), a passerine bird gathering in large flocks at a waterhole in the Etosha National Park, Namibia. In total, we observed 38 successful captures with the average individual capture rate of 21 birds caught per hour. It remains unclear if this is a learned behavior of a single hyena clan or if it could be a widespread interaction across Africa, where the two species co-occur. Although it is unlikely that passerines could make up a substantial part of a spotted hyenas diet regardless of the location, our observations provide a rare documented example of trophic interactions between a large carnivore and small birds. It also represents an addition to a diverse repertoire of hyena foraging behaviors, which confirms their adaptability in obtaining food from non-typical sources.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, Red-billed quelea, Quelea quelea, predation, hunting behavior, waterhole, Etosha
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.03 - Short Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 1-3
• Numbering: Vol. 38, [article no] e00340
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-155073
• UDC: 591.5
• ISSN on article: 2352-2496
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2024.e00340
• COBISS.SI-ID: 189437187
• Publication date in RUL: 19.03.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Food webs
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2352-2496
• COBISS.SI-ID: 525552153

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: lisasta hijena, Crocuta crocuta, rdečekljuni tkalec, Quelea quelea, plenjenje, lov, Etoša