Behavioral observations in Bangkok report that Asian Openbill Storks, specialized freshwater-snail feeders, can consume invasive apple snails at three to six per minute. The invader may provide a new food source after wetland loss had reduced urban storks.
Key findings
- Openbills used invasive apple snails as food in Bangkok at three to six snails per minute. The result supports a possible link between novel food resources and urban return, with potential local reduction where birds forage.
Why this matters globally
The case illustrates complex interactions between invasive species and native urban wildlife and informs research on nature-based pest control without treating invasion effects as one-dimensional.
Thai researcher contribution
A Mahidol University researcher contributed to urban-wildlife behavior research linking Bangkok conservation with invasive-snail ecology.
Limitations to consider
Short-term intake is not season-long population suppression and may vary with snail size, bird experience, water, weather, and disturbance. Bird demographics and snail density are absent from the abstract, and invasive snails should not be promoted as bird food.
Verify the original sources
Pacific Conservation BiologyRead the original article↗DOI: 10.1071/pc26024