The last meal: large insects predominate the diet of the European Roller Coracias garrulus prior to population extinction

Capsule: The diet of a European Roller Coracias garrulus population, approximately 10 years before its extinction, comprised of large-bodied orthopterans and coleopterans. Aims: To explore the diet composition of declining population of the European Roller. Methods: In 2005, 2006 and 2009, we monitored 18 nesting sites of the European Roller in southern Poland. Pellets and prey remain found in nest-holes were analysed. Results: In total, 1646 prey items were found. Orthoptera (60.4% of prey items) and Coleoptera (38.5%) predominated while vertebrates were caught rarely. Large-bodied species (orthopterans, bush-crickets, beetles Prionus coriarius and Cetonia aurata) including ground-dwellers…