Dual sand sources on Farewell Spit intertidal flats, New Zealand: Partitioning during redistribution Journal Paper
- Author
- Balance, P.F; Schuckard, R; Melville, D.S; Battley, P.F.
- Year
- 2006
- Journal / Source
- New Zealand journal of geology and geophysics
- Volume
- 49
- Number
- 1
- Pages
- 91-99
- Keywords
- intertidal sand flat, Farewell Spit, Golden Bay, New Zealand, mixed sand populations, sediment delivery by floating trees, sand partitioning
- Summary
- Of the 477 food items identified in the diet of the Australasian Harrier, mammals (46%) were the main food. Birds and their eggs (41%) were the next most numerous food, and insects (8%) and fish and frogs (5%) were in about equal numbers. Live prey was numerically more important than carrion in all seasons and especially during summer. However, the biomass of carrion eaten annually was greater than that of live prey. Food items were taken according to their availability, and not according to preferences of the predator. The legal protection of the Australasian Harrier in New Zealand is recommended.