Re: (Frog hunting) - and a load of XXXX

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

> Lacking expertise, no assertion, but are you sure that the prey isn't
> usually of substantial size compared to the hunter?

It's certainly not *always* of substantial size compared to the hunter.  
Frilled lizards (for example) eat insects.

> Seems reasonable that
> hiding means prey can see the hunter as well as the hunter can see the 
> prey,
> and swooping means the prey's time to get away must be limited because
> otherwise the prey would have a reasonable chance to escape.

The advantage of this type of predation is (1) the predator is _above_ the 
prospective prey (meaning the prey has to look up into every tree it passes 
to have a reasonable chance of spying the predator).
And (2) it is a far more energy efficient method of hunting than active 
foraging.  Rather than searching in every tussock and overturning every 
stone, the predator can "sit and wait" for a frog (or salamander or lizard 
or cockroach) to come into view.  True, this can be done at ground level 
too.  But hanging out in trees gives the predator a better vantage point.

Of course, not every predator can pull off a sit-and-wait predation 
strategy.  A _T. rex_ would have a hard time sneaking up on even the most 
clueless of large herbivores.

> You could have surprised and outrun the frog (toad?) from a standing start,

Ah, I think I see what you mean.  Here's what I'm getting at.  If I were to 
prowl my backyard, searching high and low for little frogs, I may not have 
much luck finding one.  They have lots of places to hide, and here am I 
spending time and energy trying to hunt them down and prise them out.

But - if I wait quietly on my deck, a frog or two might come out of hiding.  
If I am keeping an eye out for any frogs that venture out onto my lawn 
below, I might have a better chance jumping down close to one.


> <Civil war buff, mildly.  Remember the balloons?>

And the kites, too.


Tim



------------------------------------------------------------

Timothy J. Williams

USDA/ARS Researcher
Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50014

Phone: 515 294 9233
Fax:   515 294 3163

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