Ecology Summary - Onychoprion lunatus

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Ecology of Onychoprion lunatus

Main Ref.	SAUP Database, 2006
Remarks	Found along the coast and continental shelf (Ref. 356). Exclusively marine. Breeds singly or in loose colonies, typically along cliffs (Ref. 91362). Breeding colonies may be found on tropical islands, along beaches and low sea cliffs. Heavily preyed on by rats (Ref. 84934). Exhibits dipping behavior (Ref. 356). Feeds mainly by plunge diving or by dipping the surface while hovering. Diet primarily consists of fish, especially five-horned cowfish, juvenile flyingfish, goatfish, herring, and dolphinfish, but also eats squid, crustaceans, mollusks and insects (marine and terrestrial) (Ref. 122680).

Main Ref.

SAUP Database, 2006

Remarks

Found along the coast and continental shelf (Ref. 356). Exclusively marine. Breeds singly or in loose colonies, typically along cliffs (Ref. 91362). Breeding colonies may be found on tropical islands, along beaches and low sea cliffs. Heavily preyed on by rats (Ref. 84934). Exhibits dipping behavior (Ref. 356). Feeds mainly by plunge diving or by dipping the surface while hovering. Diet primarily consists of fish, especially five-horned cowfish, juvenile flyingfish, goatfish, herring, and dolphinfish, but also eats squid, crustaceans, mollusks and insects (marine and terrestrial) (Ref. 122680).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Onychoprion lunatus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Harrison, P., 1987
Associations	colony-forming/symphorism;
Associated with
Association remarks	May form loose breeding colonies.
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Karpouzi, V.S., 2005
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Karpouzi, V.S., 2005

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	4.14	0.43			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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