Calcium Supplements in the Diet of Nestling Tree Swallows near Acid Sensitive Lakes.

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dc.contributor.authorBreebaart, L.
dc.contributor.authorSt. Louis, V.L.
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-01T12:00:12Z
dc.date.available2025-05-01T12:00:12Z
dc.date.issued1991
dc.descriptionWe quantified supplemental sources of calcium in the diet of nestling Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) near acid sensitive lakes in northwestern Ontario. Among the calcium-rich items brought to nest boxes by adult swallows and ingested by nestlings, fish bones (particularly flat pieces) were most numerous, followed by crayfish exoskeleton, clam shell, and bird eggshell in that order. Only 5% of the items eaten were longer than 10mm, whereas over 29% of the items found in nest boxes were in this size class. We found significantly fewer calcium-rich items in the stomachs of nestlings from acidic lakes than in those from referencel akes, suggesting that items suitable for ingestion may be scarcer there. However, Tree Swallows flew at least 50 to 650 m from their nest-site lake to obtain calciumrich items. Because lake acidification has reduced numbers of animals providing calcium for Tree Swallows in regions in which many lakes are atmospherically acidified, the availability of calcium sources for nestlings may be seriously affected.
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.7939/R3NP1WM77
dc.language.isoen
dc.relation.isversionofSt. Louis, V.L., and Breebaart, L. (1991). Calcium Supplements in the Diet of Nestling Tree Swallows near Acid Sensitive Lakes. The Condor, 93(2), 286-294
dc.rights© The Cooper Ornithological Society 1991
dc.subjectDietary calcium
dc.subjectTree Swallows
dc.subjectAcidification
dc.subjectTachycineta bicolor
dc.subjectReproductive success
dc.titleCalcium Supplements in the Diet of Nestling Tree Swallows near Acid Sensitive Lakes.
dc.typehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
ual.jupiterAccesshttp://terms.library.ualberta.ca/public

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