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The diet of nestling rainbow bee-eaters, Merops ornatus, on Rottnest Island, Western Australia, and observations on a non-destructive method of diet analysis
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The diet of nestling rainbow bee-eaters, Merops ornatus, on Rottnest Island, Western Australia, and observations on a non-destructive method of diet analysis

M.C. Calver, D.A. Saunders and B.D. Porter
Australian Wildlife Research, Vol.14(4), pp.541-550
1987
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/WR9870541
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Abstract

The diet of nestling rainbow bee-eaters was determined by analysis of droppings and regurgitated pellets. In total, 2187 insects from 10 families were identified: Hymenoptera (95%), including Scoliidae (14%), Tiphiidae (38%), Sphecidae (18.5%), Apoidea (1%), Formicoidea (7.5%) and undetermined Hymenoptera (16%); Coleoptera, Buprestidae (1.5%); Diptera, Muscidae (<1%); Hemiptera (3%); Odonata (<1%); and Orthoptera (<1%). The relative proportions of the different prey types varied significantly between sites and between different sampling times at the same site. There were also site-related differences in the mean length of nestling prey and at 3 of 6 sites nestlings were fed different sizes of prey during their development.

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