scholarly journals Little Owl’s (Athene noctua) vertebrate food composition during breeding season with high frog dominance in grasslands

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-61
Author(s):  
Dániel Hámori ◽  
Dániel Winkler ◽  
Tamás Cserkész
Keyword(s):  
Average Rate ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Food Composition ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
The Common ◽  
Athene Noctua ◽  
Little Owl ◽  
Owl Pellets

Abstract The aim of our study was to investigate the feeding of the Little Owl (Athene noctua) during the breeding period in three protected sites (Upper Kiskunság Puszta, Upper Kiskunság Lakes, Peszéradacs Meadows) in an extensively managed lowland plain area (Upper Kiskunság) of the Carpathian Basin. A further objective was to provide a detailed assessment of the vertebrate prey spectrum and dominance structure based on the analyses of pellets. Little Owl pellets were collected in September 2015 and 2016 from 20 artificial nest boxes in which successful breeding occurred in both years. Mean pellet number was calculated per individuals. Distribution of individual number and biomass of vertebrate prey taxa were also examined. The number of collected and dissected owl pellets was 2,094 in 2015 and 2,024 in 2016, respectively. The average rate of pellet regurgitation was 25.57 pellets/ind. in 2015, and 27.74 pellets/ind. in 2016. From the 40 samples (4,118 owl pellets) a total of 2,017 vertebrate preys were determined. Cumulative species richness was 21, including 12 mammalian, 1 amphibian, 4 reptile and 4 bird species. Mammals were dominant in the food (average 50.83%), and the consumption of amphibians was similar (48.06%). The consumption of birds and reptiles was not significant. Amphibians were represented by a single species, the Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus) in remarkably high proportions among the prey items, followed by the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) by approx. 37% proportion. The high proportion of the latter two species was also clearly reflected in the biomass amounts. Among the birds, the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) proved to be the most commonly predated species apart from other species closely related to farmland habitats (Motacilla alba, M. flava, Passer montanus).

scholarly journals Food composition of the Little Owl (Athene noctua) in a farmland area of Central Hungary, with particular attention to arthropod diversity

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-50
Author(s):  
Dániel Hámori ◽  
Győző Szél ◽  
Dániel Winkler
Keyword(s):  
Common Vole ◽  
Food Composition ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Arthropod Diversity ◽  
Arthropod Species ◽  
Pellet Analysis ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Athene Noctua ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Little Owl

Abstract The feeding of Little Owl (Athene noctua) was studied in a farmland area of Kiskunság, Central Hungary. For the analyses, a total of 661 Little Owl pellets were collected between February and September 2005 from three locations, corresponding known Little Owl territories situated nearby the settlements Apaj, Kunpeszér and Ladánybene. The aim of the present study was to explore the diet composition of Little Owl and to give a detailed evaluation of the arthropod diversity based on the pellet analysis. The identified prey items represented 15 vertebrate and 39 invertebrate species/taxa. In terms of prey number, dominance of small mammals was observed in two sites (Apaj – 55%, Kunpeszér – 68%), while birds and mammals shared almost equal dominance (~25%) in Ladánybene. The most numerous mammal species was the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis), while the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) played key role among the birds. Contribution of amphibian Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus) was considerable, while share of reptiles was marginal. Vertebrates also played a predominant role by contributing over 99% of the overall prey biomass in all study sites. Invertebrate prey dominance ranged from 24.8–30.0% while their contribution to the overall biomass was very low (0.14–0.34%). Large sized beetles (Pentodon idiota, Melolontha hippocastani) and orthopterans (Tettigonia viridissima, Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) were preferred. Arthropod species richness and diversity were the highest in Kunpeszér, supposedly owing to the rich mosaic habitat structure.

scholarly journals Fine-scale movement patterns and habitat selection of little owls (Athene noctua) from two declining populations

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0256608
Author(s):  
Martin Mayer ◽  
Martin Šálek ◽  
Anthony David Fox ◽  
Frej Juhl Lindhøj ◽  
Lars Bo Jacobsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Space Use ◽  
Gps Data ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Movement Trajectories ◽  
Athene Noctua ◽  
Little Owl

Advances in bio-logging technology for wildlife monitoring have expanded our ability to study space use and behavior of many animal species at increasingly detailed scales. However, such data can be challenging to analyze due to autocorrelation of GPS positions. As a case study, we investigated spatiotemporal movements and habitat selection in the little owl (Athene noctua), a bird species that is declining in central Europe and verges on extinction in Denmark. We equipped 6 Danish food-supplemented little owls and 6 non-supplemented owls in the Czech Republic with high-resolution GPS loggers that recorded one position per minute. Nightly space use, measured as 95% kernel density estimates, of Danish male owls were on average 62 ha (± 64 SD, larger than any found in previous studies) compared to 2 ha (± 1) in females, and to 3 ± 1 ha (males) versus 3 ± 5 ha (females) in the Czech Republic. Foraging Danish male owls moved on average 4-fold further from their nest and at almost double the distance per hour than Czech males. To create availability data for the habitat selection analysis, we accounted for high spatiotemporal autocorrelation of the GPS data by simulating correlated random walks with the same autocorrelation structure as the actual little owl movement trajectories. We found that habitat selection was similar between Danish and Czech owls, with individuals selecting for short vegetation and areas with high structural diversity. Our limited sample size did not allow us to infer patterns on a population level, but nevertheless demonstrates how high-resolution GPS data can help to identify critical habitat requirements to better formulate conservation actions on a local scale.

Responses of the long-eared owl Asio otus diet and the numbers of wintering individuals to changing abundance of the common vole Microtus arvalis

Biologia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Filip Tulis ◽  
Michal Baláž ◽  
Ján Obuch ◽  
Karol Šotnár
Keyword(s):  
Common Vole ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Opportunistic Predator ◽  
The Common ◽  
Agricultural Areas ◽  
Food Niche ◽  
Specific Diet

AbstractOpportunistic predator like the long-eared owl is able to respond to population fluctuations of its main prey. The composition of the winter diet of this owl species was investigated during the period of 13 winters (1992-2000, 2006-2011) in agricultural areas in Slovakia. In total, we found 23 mammal species and 33 bird species (H′ = 0.82) in pellets. The frequency of the dominant prey species, the common vole, varied from 57.7% to 92.4%. Our data show that the abundance of the common vole: (i) had biggest impact on the food niche breadth of the long-eared owl; (ii) when in decline, it was significantly compensated by the increase in the amount of 15 other accessory species (subject to the specific diet offered during the study winters); (iii) was positively correlated with the number of owls in the winter-roost, which varied during the 13 studied winters.

Long-eared owls roosted in the forest, still hunted in open land

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-119
Author(s):  
Filip Tulis ◽  
Michal Ševčík ◽  
Ján Obuch
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Human Settlements ◽  
Minimum Information ◽  
Human Attention ◽  
Open Land ◽  
Deep Forest ◽  
The Common ◽  
Owl Pellets

Abstract Long-eared owls’ winter roosts located within forest, compared to their winter roosts in human settlements, often escape human attention. Only minimum information has been published about winter roosts located deep in the forest. During the years 2005 to 2016, we collected long-eared owl pellets at irregularly occupied forest winter roosts. Compared to the diet at winter roosts in human settlements, the long-eared owls roosting in the forest surprisingly significantly more frequently hunted the common vole. Moreover, we did not record higher consumption of forest mammal species in the diet of owls at forest winter roosts. Long-eared owls roosting in human settlements hunted significantly more birds. The results show that, despite the location of deep forest winter roosts, long-eared owls preferred hunting the common vole, i.e. hunting in open agricultural land. The study also points out the lack of knowledge about winter roosts located deep in the forest.

scholarly journals Long‐term monitoring of common spadefoot toad activity in a European steppe using barn owl pellets

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Landler ◽  
Katharina Stefke
Keyword(s):  
Selection Procedure ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Population Decrease ◽  
Spadefoot Toads ◽  
Spadefoot Toad ◽  
Eastern Austria ◽  
The Common ◽  
Owl Pellets

AbstractBackgroundOne third of the worldwide amphibian species are threatened, therefore, efficient monitoring efforts are needed. Amphibians which adopt a hidden lifestyle, such as the common spadefoot toad, are often missed with standard surveying efforts. Spadefoot toads can be identified in regurgitated pellets of the barn owl, which provides an effective way to estimate toad activity. In our study we analyzed frequency of spadefoot toad remains from 2004 to 2016 in a steppe landscape in eastern Austria.MethodsWe used an automated model selection procedure together with a GLM analysis using a zero inflated error Poisson distribution, to analyze the presence ofPelobates fuscusin barn owl pellets. All analyses were done in the statistical software R, and the scripts to reproduce our results are available within this publication. Our approach may provide a template for other researchers to use for their own pellet data.ConclusionsOur analysis suggested that activity of the common spadefoot toad is mainly influenced by rainfalls, while time of the year and temperature had small but significant effects. Interestingly, our data confirmed the possibility of a second breeding period in summer, triggered by heavy rainfalls. There were no indications for a population decrease in the observed years and locations. Our study shows that barn owl pellets can be used effectivley to assess pelobatid activity in an area. This might constitute a useful monitoring tool for conservation management for amphibians.

Winter diet of Long-eared Owls (Asio otus) in the southern Pannonian Plain (Serbia, Vojvodina)

2021 ◽  
pp. 175815592110365
Author(s):  
Filip Tulis ◽  
Nadja Poljak ◽  
Milan Ruzic ◽  
Ján Obuch
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Wood Mouse ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Pannonian Plain ◽  
The Common ◽  
Food Niche ◽  
Qualitative Changes

Owl diets undergo qualitative changes across the different regions of their area of distribution. During the four winters (from 2014–15 to 2017–18), Long-eared Owls’ pellets were collected at three winterroosts located at the southern part of Pannonian Plain, in the Serbian province of Vojvodina. In 8070 prey items from pellets, we identified 16 mammal and 32 bird species. The Common Vole was the dominant prey species with a proportion in a range from 27.4% to 71.6%. The Muridae family formed a supplementary part of the diet: Mus sp., wood mouse and harvest mouse, during all winters. Birds were also a major supplementary prey during winter 2014–15, comprising 10.6%. A comparison of our results with the diet of Long-eared Owls wintering at the northern Pannonian plain (southwestern Slovakia) indicated an increase the proportion of some species in the southern part. How different land uses in agriculture and environmental conditions may be reflected in the food supply are discussed in relation to the diet composition of Long-eared Owls and an environment whose is richer provides both growing diversity in the diet of these owls and an expansion of their food niche. Our study described the Long-eared Owl as opportunistic predators expanding their food niche in the presence of diversified prey.

scholarly journals Diet of the little Athene noctua (Scopoli, 1769) on the territory of Berehovo district (Transcarpathian region)

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 71-86
Author(s):  
I. Zahorodnyi ◽  
◽  
L. Romaniuk ◽  
O. Hnatyna ◽  
L. Pokrytiuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Prey Biomass ◽  
Western Palearctic ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Environmental Transformation ◽  
Athene Noctua ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Prey Items ◽  
Little Owl

Objectives. The Little Owl is the most common owl in the Western Palearctic and its population is declining significantly in Europe. Therefore, conservation and study of this owl is an important issue in most European countries. Analysis of trophic patterns at the local level provides interesting and valuable information about the predator’s eating habits. The owl’s diet investigation allows us to analyze their potential adaptations to habitats with different levels of environmental transformation. Materials and Methods. We studied nutrition of the Little Owl Athene noctua, in agricultural lands of Berehove district of Transcarpathian region in Ukraine. In total, 1446 pellets were collected at 15 pellet stations in 2002–2020 and 2506 prey items were identified. The prey items represented 18 vertebrate species (16 species of small mammals of three orders Rodentia, Soricomorpha, Carnivora, as well as reptiles of the family Lacertidae and birds of the order Passeriformes and arthropods. Results. Vertebrates play a major role in feeding the Little Owl (over 99 % of total prey biomass in all of the studied sites). The common vole is the most common prey in the owl’s diet (52.1 % of the total prey number and 67.5 % of the biomass of the prey caught), as well as a high proportion of mice of the genus Apodemus and Sylvaemus. The contribution of invertebrates to total prey biomass is insignificant (0.3 %). A large number of invertebrates were observed in the diet of the Owl in summer and were almost completely absent in winter. Conclusions. According to our data, the Little Owl is a typical predator generalist in Transcarpathia. The 28 taxa found in the pellets show a wide range of food objects in a relatively small area, and high level adaptations to habitats with different levels of environmental transformation (agrosystems and anthropogenic areas).

scholarly journals THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LONG-EARED OWL ASIO OTUS OTUS (L.) IN RODENT CONTROL

1970 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Nistreanu
Keyword(s):  
Dominant Species ◽  
House Sparrow ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
Rodent Species ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Rodent Control ◽  
Tree Sparrow ◽  
The Common

The trophic spectrum of the long-eared owl was studied in two localities of Someshul Mic basin: Cluj-Napoca city and Cojocna village. 2131 pellets were collected: 1403 pellets from Cluj-Napoca Botanical Garden and 728 from Cojocna. 6161 micromammal and bird skulls and bones were separated: 4238 from the pellets collected in Cluj-Napoca and 1923 from those collected in Cojocna. The rodents percent was 84,52% in Cluj-Napoca and 99,12% Cojocna pellets. 4 insectivore species, 12 rodent species and 10 bird species were found in pellets. The most abundant and the dominant species is the common vole (Microtus arvalis) with 64,08% in Cluj-Napoca and with 79,43% in Cojocna. Among birds the most abundant are the house sparrow and the tree sparrow, which constitute almost 70% from all the birds.

scholarly journals Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Diet Composition on Intensively Used Agricultural Land in the Danube Lowland

2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-233
Author(s):  
Tomáš Veselovský ◽  
Kristián Bacsa ◽  
Filip Tulis
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
The Common

Based on pellets analysis from five localities in south western Slovakia (Malá Mužla, Malé Ripňany, Obid, Opatovský Sokolec and Tešedíkovo), we studied the diet composition of Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in intensively cultivated agricultural lands. A total of 6218 specimens of prey, 17 mammalian and 7 bird species were identified. The main prey species found in all food samples was the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis), varying between 56 % and 67 %. The proportion of synanthropic species (Rattus norvegicus, Passer domesticus) and species inhabiting agricultural landscapes (Crocidura leucodon, Crocidura suaveolens, Mus sp.) increases in localities with a lower ratio of the Common Vole. The results suggest land use affects the diet of Barn Owls, confirming conclusions which have been drawn in previous studies. From faunistic point of view, discovering the Pannonian Root Vole (Microtus oeconomus mehelyi) in the diet from Malá Mužla was important.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document