@article{fdi:010054172,
  title = {{L}imited predatory capacity of introduced black rats on bird eggs : an experimental approach},
  author = {{Z}arzoso-{L}acoste, {D}. and {R}uffino, {L}. and {V}idal, {E}ric},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}nvasive rats ({R}attus spp.) are renowned bird predators and have been identified as a leading cause of island bird population declines and extinctions. {R}ecently, new questions have been raised regarding the mechanisms and the severity of impact of invasive rat predation on bird populations. {W}e investigated the predatory capacity of the invasive black rat {R}attus rattus on bird eggs using captive trials on wild-trapped individuals. {F}ive factors were specifically tested for their influence on egg predation success: egg size, egg state, rat body mass, gender and habitat. {O}ur results showed that rats only managed to prey on intact eggs when these were small (canary) and that they had great difficulty preying on medium-sized (hen) and even small (quail)-sized intact eggs, regardless of the rat' body mass, gender and habitat. {C}onversely, rats preyed extensively on previously damaged eggs of all sizes. {O}ur findings suggest that preying on intact bird eggs without specific learning skills, such as rolling an egg to break it, may be challenging for the black rats. {M}oreover, our findings strongly indicate that bird susceptibility to egg predation by rats varies with island contexts and may depend on a combination of multiple additive and synergic factors. {E}xperiments that allow for testing the multiple evolutionary and ecological factors explaining between-island or between-population variation in rodent impacts are needed to promote a better overview of the processes involved in bird population declines.},
  keywords = {bird vulnerability ; egg predation ; feeding trials ; introduced rats ; predatory capacity ; {R}attus rattus},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {Z}oology},
  volume = {285},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {188--193},
  ISSN = {0952-8369},
  year = {2011},
  DOI = {10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00828.x},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010054172},
}