Japanese Journal of Ornithology
Online ISSN : 1881-9710
Print ISSN : 0913-400X
ISSN-L : 0913-400X
Seeds found in fecal samples from Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea
Hitoshi TOJOSyuya NAKAMURA
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1999 Volume 47 Issue 3 Pages 115-117

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Abstract

Introduced Red-billed Leiothrix have recently invaded into Japanese forests. We collected fecal samples from Red-billed Leiothrix in autumn 1993 on Mt. Tsukuba, central Japan. 217 seeds were found in the samples, representing 10 species of canopy trees, shrubs, vines and understory herbs. The majority of the seeds were from berries, but we also collected a nut from Carpinus tschonoskii. Since nuts have no fruit pulp and leiothrix seems not to be able to digest seeds, the Carpinus nut was probably swallowed accidentally. However, such accidental feeding on nuts by frugivorous birds may still result in effective seed dispersal. The occurrence of a diversity of seeds in Red-billed Leiothrix fecal samples suggests that this species may affect plant communities in areas which it has invaded through seed dispersal.

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