Breeding biology and success of the Little Egret Egretta garzetta in Karfestan Ab-bandan, Roudsar, Gilan Province, northern Iran

The breeding ecology of the Little Egret Egretta garzetta was studied during the2006 breeding season in Karfestan Ab-bandan, Gilan Province, northern Iran. The breedingparameters, namely egg-laying date, clutch and brood size, egg measurements, nest-sitecharacteristics and breeding success were examined. The birds laid eggs from 28 March to11 April. The average clutch size (98 eggs in total) was 4.26±0.81. Of these, 82.6% hatched and 80.6% fledged. On average, 3.43 chicks per nest reached fledging stage at this colony.In a dietary survey of the chicks following prey species were identified: Mole CricketGryllotalpa gryllotalpa, Walker Chilo suppressalis, Steppe Cricket Gryllus desertus,Asiatic Locust Locusta migratoria, Prussian Carp Carassius gibelio, Caspian Spined LoachSabanejewia caspia, Riffle Minnow Albumoides bipunctatus elchwaldi, Carp Cyprus spp.,European Catfish Silurus glanis, Common Grass Snake Natrix natrix natrix and MarshFrog Rana ridibunda.