DIURNAL BEHAVIOUR OF GREATER FLAMINGO (PHOENICOPTERUS ROSEUS) AT LAKE ERCEK, TURKEY

This study was conducted at Lake Ercek (Van Turkey) in 2015 breeding season using scan and focal sampling of individuals of the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus). Diurnal time -activity budgets of adults and juveniles were monitored separately in randomly selected focal flocks during 1200 observation sessions in 8 different behaviour patterns: feeding, resting, walking, flying, preening, aggression, showing alarm and courting. Feeding was the most important activity with rates of 46 of the time in both adult and juvenile individuals and showed a negative relationship with the degree of disturbance. Main diurnal activities of the Greater Flamingos during the study were walking and resting. Time use did not differ significantly between adults and juveniles (P>0.05). But, juveniles spent more time feeding and less time walking than adults (P<0.05).