It might work too in that caterpillar occurrences seem to be patchy,
but intense. I can clearly remember a few times when an area has just
been completely covered in them; maybe the birds are aware of the
scarcity and make the most of the good times when they can?
On 6/6/08, John Leonard <> wrote:
> I was one of those who mentioned the half-biting through the 'neck' of
> the caterpillar. It makes sense to me in a environment which may have
> patchy occurence of food resources. The parent birds go foraging for
> foods. If they find aa good supply of caterpillars it would be a good
> strategy to collect as many as they can and immobilise and store them.
> The caterpillars, being still alive, will keep for several days. The
> alternative strategy, only taking as many as the chicks will eat
> immediately, runs the risk of the supply being depleted by other
> Bellbirds, or other predators, before the Bellbirds can return.
>
> John Leonard
>
> On 06/06/2008, <> wrote:
> > Hi Wendy, Evan et al
> >
> > I think I had 3 responses - I thought they had all been sent to the list
> > but perhaps not - anyway, everyone has basically said the same thing, ie
> > that the birds bite the caterpillars to immobilise them, but very little
> > really seems to be known about it. Seems a bizarre technique to me, and
> > unclear whether the young help themselves to the food or not. One person
> > suggested it could just be for decoration of the nest, or for repelling
> > some insect/predator ??? Perhaps the strangest thing is that while most of
> > the reference books mention this practice, they say practically nothing
> > about it!
> >
> > Regards
> > Frank Antram
> > -----Original message-----
> > From: "Wendy"
> > Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:19:21 +1000
> > To: "Evan Beaver"
> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Crested Bellbird immobilising caterpillars - RFI
> >
> > > Hi Frank,
> > > I too, am very interested in responses to your question, as I am
> > > interested
> > > in birds and Lepidoptera. Apart from Steven Ambrose reply, did you receive
> > > any other help?
> > > I forwarded your question to a few entomologist/lepidopteran contacts to
> > > see
> > > if they could help, but have received no definite information from them.
> > > Some thoughts from one .....
> > > "I've never heard that one before.
> > > Maybe the birds steal them from wasps, or nest above the snow line.
> > > Maybe there is some spinal nerve they could sever with a well aimed peck.
> > > Beats me.
> > > Don"
> > >
> > > Wendy Moore
> > >
> > >
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