Session takes a dive into aerial insectivores

Population declines could be linked to specific, larger insects

At last year’s Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Conference, Bill Mueller, director emeritus for the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory spoke about aerial insectivores, or species who capture their insect prey in mid flight. Unlike species like robins, swallows, whippoorwills, night hawks and chimney swifts, all capture their prey in mid air, even though they are not closely related or, in some instances, related at all. However, they do have that one thing in common, he said.

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• By Beckie Gaskill
• January 19, 2024