Proteaceae nectar sources for nectarivorous birds at landscape level

Specialist nectarivorous birds are dependent on nectar sources, which are often variable in space and time. They are expected to have a spatial association with their primary food sources and may even track these resources at a landscape scale. The fynbos provides an interesting system to investigate this, because of the great diversity of ornithophilous plants and small community of nectarivorous birds. Data from the Protea Atlas and South African Bird Atlas Projects were used to compare the spatial distribution of ornithophilous Proteaceae and nectarivorous birds in the fynbos. We also investigated whether temporal variation in floral abundance may encourage landscape scale migration of these birds. The total floral abundance of ornithophilous Proteaceae peaks in June and July and is at its lowest during December to February. While most Protea species flower in the winter, Leucospermum and Mimetes species seem to provide important food sources in the dry season. The fynbos subregions all show the same monthly pattern. Contrary to expectations based on rain fall patterns, the flowering patterns of these Proteaceae in the western and eastern fynbos regions are the same.National Research Foundation. South Afric