Ants found in scats and pellets taken from the nests of the Japanese Wryneck Jynx torquilla japonica

Abstract

Ants are considered one of the major food items for J. t. japonica, but there have been a few reports about ants as prey. Scats & pellets from 4 nests of Jynx torquilla japonica were analyzed. Sampling was done immediately after fledging, from June to August in 2002. The common genera in the nests were: Lasius in nests II, III, & IV, Formica in nests II & IV, & Myrmica in nests II, III, & IV. We observed nest habitats in Obihiro for the 10 ant species identified to species rank. Lasius japonicus, L. spathepus, & Myrmica kotokui nest in wood. The other 7 species nest in the soil. M. kotokui & L. spathepus generally nest in forests, L. japonicus & L. flavus in both sparse forests & open land, with the remaining 6 species generally nesting in open land.