Hovering by Common Fiscal Lanius collaris as a strategy to locate prey

Abstract

There is an enormous energetic contrast between being a sit-and-wait predator, a characteristic of all shrike species, and hunting by hovering, as is done by some kingfishers and some raptors. It therefore seems unlikely that hovering by Common Fiscals can be a regular foraging strategy, and that the two recorded observations made of this behaviour must be exceptional foraging events.