Why does the Willow Warbler prefer prey items often less than a centimeter long?
Answer
It is dictated by gape size and efficiency of swallowing small items whole
The preference for prey items generally smaller than a centimeter in length is physically determined by the bird's gape size, which is the dimension of its mouth opening. Swallowing small items whole is highly efficient, conserving precious energy that would otherwise be wasted struggling with or tearing larger prey. Capturing prey that exceeds this manageable size constraint risks significant energetic expenditure, making optimization for smaller, softer items a critical element of their energy balance.
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