Volume 12 Issue 1
Jul.  2021
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Chun Ting Chung, Hok Sze Wong, Man Long Kwok, Qi Meng, King Ming Chan. 2021: Dietary analysis of the House Swift (Apus nipalensis) in Hong Kong using prey DNA in faecal samples. Avian Research, 12(1): 5. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-021-00242-z
Citation: Chun Ting Chung, Hok Sze Wong, Man Long Kwok, Qi Meng, King Ming Chan. 2021: Dietary analysis of the House Swift (Apus nipalensis) in Hong Kong using prey DNA in faecal samples. Avian Research, 12(1): 5. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-021-00242-z
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Dietary analysis of the House Swift (Apus nipalensis) in Hong Kong using prey DNA in faecal samples

  • 1.

    School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, 999077, N.T, China

  • 2.

    Swift and Swallow Research Group, The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, 7C, V Ga Building, 532 Castle Peak Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China

Funds: 

one-line budget 5501703

More Information
  • Corresponding author:

    Chun Ting Chung, cct20054@gmail.com

  • Received Date: 29 Jul 2020
  • Accepted Date: 06 Jan 2021
  • Available Online: 24 Apr 2022
  • Published Date: 02 Feb 2021
    Abstract
  • Background 

    To understand the dietary composition of the highly aerial swift (Apodidae), ecologists conventionally depend on the morphological identification of prey items from food boluses or stomach contents, but these techniques are often invasive, require expertise in identification, and often cannot produce accurate identifications at the species level.

    Methods 

    DNA barcoding was used to analyse the dietary composition of House Swifts (Apus nipalensis) in Hong Kong, China. Faecal samples from five different colonial nest sites were collected between 2019 and 2020. We used universal primers to amplify a region of the cytochrome C oxidase gene from prey DNA in the faecal samples for identification purposes.

    Results 

    Ten different orders and 44 families from three different classes of Arthropoda were identified in the collected faecal samples. Hymenoptera, Hemiptera and Diptera were the most prevalent groups of prey found in the samples. Differences in the dietary composition of House Swifts during the breeding (April to September) and non-breeding (October to March) season were also found. Hymenoptera, particularly ants (Formicidae), were predominant in the diet during the breeding season, whereas Diptera and Hemiptera were predominant during the non-breeding season.

    Conclusion 

    The prey groups identified in this study were similar to those identified in a previous study of the diet of House Swift, which also suggests a possible role of House Swifts in reducing the numbers of local insect pests. This study demonstrates the usefulness of applying molecular tools for the dietary analysis of aerial feeders. Conserving local forested areas may be crucial for the maintenance of House Swift population.

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