Feeding Behavior and Diet of Free-ranging Black-crowned Night Herons on a Catfish Aquaculture Facility in Mississippi
The impacts of many species of piscivorous birds on aquaculture are well documented in the southeastern United States; however, specific studies of black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) in these areas are lacking. Because black-crowned night herons opportunistically exploit abundant food resources and inhabit an important catfish production area, we initiated a study to assess their use of and potential impacts on a catfish aquaculture facility. We conducted a biweekly survey October 2004-September 2006 on Harvest Select Farms near Inverness, Mississippi, to quantify year-...
