2026/03/19 by Kamila Ferreira Prado, Elaine da Rosa Bueno, Tiago Valadares Ferreira +1 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · #Avian ecology and behavior #Ecosystem #Fish biology, ecology, and behavior #Predation #Seasonality #Species Distribution and Climate Change #Trophic level
paper · doi:10.1080/15594491.2026.2627105
published in The Wilson Journal of Ornithology (Wilson Ornithological Society)
openalex publication_date 2026/03/19 · openalex created_date 2026/03/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/21
We studied the diet of the White-wedged Piculet (Picumnus albosquamatus) in the northern Pantanal, Brazil, to assess trophic specialization and potential seasonal variation. Between 2008 and 2018, 24 individuals were captured during the dry season and the wet (flood) season, and their diet was examined using the forced regurgitation technique. Fourteen birds contained identifiable food remains, totaling 271 prey items; all were adult ants (Formicidae). Ant counts per individual did not differ detectably between seasons, although values in the wet (flood) season were more variable due to a few individuals with high prey numbers. These findings provide quantitative evidence of complete ant specialization in Picumnus albosquamatus, suggesting that, despite strong seasonal hydrological variation, the species maintains an extremely narrow diet focused on Formicidae. We emphasize the potential vulnerability of Picumnus albosquamatus to changes in ant availability in seasonally dynamic environments such as the Pantanal.