1984/10/01 by R. D. Wooller · 2 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Fossil Insects in Amber #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Insectivore #Energetics #Biology #Zoology #Ecology #Predation
paper · doi:10.1071/zo9840657
openalex publication_date 1984/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/19
Highly nectarivorous honeyeaters, more insectivorous honeyeaters and non-honeyeater insectivores all showed a similar linear relationship between bill length and the cube root of body mass. Bill length increased with body mass at a faster rate in insectivorous honeyeaters than in insectivorous non- honeyeaters. In the more nectarivorous honeyeaters there was no clear relationship between bill length and either bill depth or body mass. It is suggested that mechanical considerations associated with taking large insects from surfaces restrict the length of the bill in both insectivorous non-honeyeaters and, to a lesser extent, in insectivorous honeyeaters. The longer bills of highly specialized honeyeaters may largely restrict them to small flying insects.