Foraging ecology and conservation of feeding habitats of Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) in the Axios River Delta, Macedonia, Greece

From 1988 to 1990, Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) used all available feeding habitats in the study area, i.e., saltmarshes, freshwater habitats and rice fields (breeding season primarily). Freshwater habitats were preferred during pre-breeding, breeding and post-breeding periods. However, foraging success there was generally lower than in other habitats; a considerable part of the Little Egret population simply used this habitat type without feeding possibly due to manmade habitat alterations that took place during the study period. Saltmarshes were an important habitat: Little Egrets foraged exclusively there in March, and in the pre- and post-breeding periods foraging success was generally higher than in other freshwater habitats. In rice fields, Little Egrets had a generally greater foraging success than in the other habitats in two of the three study years. Conservation of feeding habitats should include prey management and protection from further habitat degradation.