Diet of two coexisting martins (Passeriformes: Hirundinidae) from southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Diets of birds are still a subject not well documented for many species of birds. Despite its importance for the understanding of the natural history and life history theory, the knowledge of Neotropical birds’ diet is still incipient. Here we studied the diets of two species of martins, the purple martin Progne subis and the brown-chested martin P. tapera, based on the analysis of the stomach contents of 61 individuals found dead or dying on 17 January 1987, in the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, Brazil. We found that both species had similar diets, feeding exclusively on insects, consuming mostly winged ants and termites. Many species of insects considered agricultural pests were recorded in the samples analyzed.