We are what we eat, plus some per mill: Using stable isotopes to estimate diet composition in Gyps vultures over space and time.

ABSTRACT: Dietary studies in birds of prey involve direct observation and examination of food remains at resting and nesting sites. Although these methods accurately identify diet in raptors, they are time-consuming, resource-intensive, and associated with biases from the feeding ecology of raptors like Gyps vultures. Our study set out to estimate diet composition in Gyps vultures informed by stable isotopes that provide a good representation of assimilated diet from local systems.We hypothesized that differences in Gyps vulture diet composition is a function of sampling location and that these vultures move between Serengeti National Park and Selous Game Reserve to forage. We also theorized that grazing ungulates are the principal items in Gyps vulture diet.Through combi

SUBMITTER: Baino AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8941503 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature