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Brine fly; brine shrimp; Common Goldeneye; food habits; Great Salt Lake; Green-winged Teal; Northern Shoveler
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Food Habits Of Wintering Waterfowl On The Great Salt Lake, Utah, Josh L. Vest, Michael R. Conover
Food Habits Of Wintering Waterfowl On The Great Salt Lake, Utah, Josh L. Vest, Michael R. Conover
Wildland Resources Faculty Publications
Two invertebrates, brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) and brine flies (Ephydridac), occur in great densities in the Great Salt Lake (GSL) but it is unknown whether ducks forage extensively on them during winter or rely on freshwater food. Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeala) and Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) were collected from the GSL during winters 2004–05 and 2005–06 to evaluate their food habits. Brine shrimp and brine flies comprised more than 70% of the winter diet of these ducks. Common Goldeneyes consumed mainly brine fly larvae (68% based on dry weight biomass), which live primarily along the substrate. …