SPECTRE ALIMENTAIRE DES JEUNES DE Passer domesticusx P. hispaniolensis DANS UNE PALMERAIE A HASSI BEN ABDELLAH (OUARGLA, SAHARA SEPTENTRIONAL-EST ALGERIEN)

Abstract

The study of the food spectrum of young Passer domesticus x P. hispaniolensiswas carried out for the first time in a date palm environment at Hassi Ben Abdellah (32° 52' E.; 5° 26' N.).The analysis of stomach contents made it possible to identify 307 prey items consisting of a large fraction of insects in young sparrows belonging to three age categories (94.7% for young hybrid sparrows aged 1 to 4 days, 94.5% for individuals aged 5 to 8 days and 90.0% for those aged 9 to 12 days).The trophic menu of young sparrows is characterized by the dominance of Heteroptera-prey such as Lygaeidae, particularly in chicks aged 1 to 3 days.On the other hand, the other age categories mainly ingest semi-soft prey such as Pheidoepallidula (Hymenoptera), as well as caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and Diptera.