What foraging action involves flying briefly to pluck a stationary insect off a leaf surface?
Answer
Gleaning
Gleaning is the specific foraging technique employed by the Willow Flycatcher that involves making a short flight specifically to pluck an insect directly off the surface of a leaf or twig, followed immediately by a return to the perch. This method contrasts with sallying, which targets mid-air prey. Gleaning is particularly efficient for harvesting prey that is stationary, such as resting caterpillars or spiders clinging to vegetation, ensuring that prey which might escape a quick aerial pass is still secured.
Related Questions
What insect order constitutes the single largest category delivered to Willow Flycatcher nestlings?What is the rapid flight maneuver used by Willow Flycatchers to intercept airborne prey called?Which arthropod classification, Araneae, represents a consistent, non-insect food source for the Willow Flycatcher?Why do adult Willow Flycatchers avoid feeding large, heavily armored beetles to chicks?What does the presence or absence of the insectivorous Willow Flycatcher indicate about a habitat patch?What foraging action involves flying briefly to pluck a stationary insect off a leaf surface?What dietary shift occurs during the peak nestling period due to chick digestive needs?What two critical elements do dense streamside vegetation and understory provide for the Willow Flycatcher's diet?Which insect order is frequently cited as a major dietary component besides Lepidoptera larvae?How does the diet likely change when the Willow Flycatcher is migrating south?