Interference competition between an invasive parakeet and native bird species at feeding sites.
Interference competition has proved to be a factor of successful establishment of invasive species. This type of competition may have a stronger impact when native species have temporal niche overlap with the invasive species. The ring-necked parakeetPsittacula kramerihas been successfully introduced in many countries and its interspecific agonistic behavior has already been reported. The purpose of this study is to analyze the territorial and preemptive interference competition between the ring-necked parakeet and native bird species in a recently colonized area. We used an empirical approach by recording video sequences in gardens equipped with bird feeders in winter. Our results showed that the ring-necked parakeet was the most frequent species at the feeders. Several native species showed temporal niche overlap with the ring-necked parakeet, the highest overlap being with the starlingSturnus vulgaris. The starling was also the species most impacted by interference competition with the parakeet. Our study suggests that, by being most frequently present at the feeders, by demonstrating the most agonistic behavior and by hindering access to food of the other species, the ring-necked parakeet is a superior competitor and may compete with native bird species.
IRD, LPED UMR_D 151, Aix Marseille Univ, 13331 Marseille, France ; UMR CESCO, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, CP51, 75005 Paris, France.
Marine
0000-0002-0816-5761
M
Le Louarn
UMR CESCO, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, CP51, 75005 Paris, France.
Bertrand
B
Couillens
IRD, LPED UMR_D 151, Aix Marseille Univ, 13331 Marseille, France.
Magali
M
Deschamps-Cottin
UMR CESCO, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, CP51, 75005 Paris, France.
Philippe
P
Clergeau
Agonistic behavior; Feeder; Introduced species; Psittacula krameri; Temporal niche overlap