| Abstract |
Diurnal time - activity budgets, were compiled for four Anatidae species, Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Teal (Anas crecca), common Pochard (Aythya ferina) and Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca), at their two most important wintering areas, artificial lake of Bramiana (Ierapetra) and the lake of Agia (Chania) in Crete, during November 2001, December 2001 and February 2002. Diurnal time - activity patterns varied among and within the four Anatidae species depended on both the species and the season. Physiological - social status of birds and environmental conditions during wintering time influenced behavior patterns. According to our data, ducks spent most of their daily time resting and feeding, for the whole wintering period. Generally dabbling ducks and common Pochard spent much of their daily activity resting, while Ferruginous duck feeding. Generally, ducks demonstrated a greater activity in the morning and the afternoon, where they spent most of their time on locomotion and feeding. Resting peaked, for all species, in the middle of the day. The lake of Bramiana and Agia are exploited by the birds as a diurnal roost for both feeding and resting. Bramiana lake, apart from an area of intermediary stations during immigration time, constitutes the most important wetland for wintering Anas crecca, Anas platyrhynchos, Aythya ferina and Aythya nyroca in Crete. Sudden rise of water level during the winter at the dam of Bramiana forced mainly Pochard species, to leave early. For this reason it is necessary to create special protection areas in the lake which will both maintain the desirable level of the water and will supply Nonbreeding Anatidae with enough food.
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Ημερήσια δραστηριότητα τεσσάρων ειδών Anatidae στην τεχνιτή λίμνη Μπραμιανών Ιεράπετρας κατά τη διάρκεια της διαχείμασης
