Contribution to the diet knowledge in Caprimulgidae (Birds)

Abstract

?Contribution to the diet knowledge in Caprimulgidae (Birds)?. The stomach contents of the following Caprimulgids species are analized: Caprimulgus p. parvulus Gould, 1817; Caprimulgus longirostris bifasciatus Gould, 1837, and Hydropsalis brasiliana furcifera (Vieillot, 1817). The composition of their diet is expressed as percentages of each item. In this case only Insects have been found: the most frequent are beetles (68,24%) and ants (22,64%). Since more than half of the insects eaten are harmful the nightjars might act as important factors in biological control.