scholarly journals Winter diet composition of urban long-eared owls (Asio otus) in Rzeszów (SE Poland)

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylwia Dziemian ◽  
Barbara Piłacińska ◽  
Grzegorz Pitucha
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Se Poland ◽  
The Common ◽  
Communal Roosting ◽  
The City ◽  
Food Niche

Abstract Diet variation of the long-eared owl (Asio otus Linnaeus, 1758) was investigated on the basis of pellets collected in winter season 2007/2008 from a communal roosting site in a municipal cemetery in Rzeszów (a city in south-eastern Poland). We assumed that the proximity of human settlements would affect the diet composition of this predator, resulting in a higher proportion of species associated with urban habitats. Although voles, especially the common vole Microtus arvalis, were still the most important prey, mice constituted approximately 17% of all prey items, with the field mouse Apodemus agrarius being most frequent. Food niche breadth was wider in December than in March. Our results suggest that owls from Rzeszów hunt mostly in open habitats surrounding the city, where they can still capture their basic prey species. Yet, they can broaden their diet with species of murids associated with the mosaic urban and suburban habitats.

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.

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.

The diet of the Common Kestrel in the urban environment of the city of Nitra

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Kečkéšová ◽  
Michal Noga
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
House Mouse ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Nesting Sites ◽  
The Common ◽  
Prey Remains ◽  
The City ◽  
Prey Items

The diet of the Common Kestrel in the urban environment of the city of Nitra The diet of the urban Common Kestrel population was studied in Nitra during 2003-2005. Totally, 671 prey items were identified by the analysis of pellets and prey remains collected under the nesting sites. Insect, mainly represented by order Coleoptera, was found to be the most abundant prey. Regarding biomass, the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) was predominated. In comparison with other articles published, the studied sample was rather rich in the Lesser White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura suaveolens) and the House Mouse (Mus cf. musculus).

Weather-Dependent Variation in the Winter Diet of Urban Roosting Long-Eared Owls Asio Otus in Pécs (Hungary)

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dávid Szép ◽  
Renáta Bocz ◽  
Jenő J. Purger
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Wood Mouse ◽  
Field Mouse ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Striped Field Mouse ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Dormouse ◽  
Grassland Habitats

Long-eared Owls (Asio otus) usually winter in groups in settlements, hunt at night and rest in evergreen trees during the day. From prey remnants regurgitated as pellets, one can detect species present in their hunting areas and changes in their abundance. Our aim was to reveal how the ratio of small mammal species in Long-eared Owl prey changes during the winter, since weather can influence hunting success and the availability of prey. There were 40–60 Long-eared Owls wintering in the city of Pécs. From November 2014 to mid-March 2015 we collected 6,328 pellets from which 9,087 prey remains were identified. 97.5% of prey consisted of small mammals belonging to 21 species. The diversity of small mammals in the pellets collected in November was significantly lower in comparison with other months. With the increase of precipitation, the relative abundance of the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) and Common Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) decreased, while that of the Striped Field Mouse (Apodemus agrarius) and Wood Mouse (A. sylvaticus) increased. In the periods when the area was covered by snow, the ratio of the Common Vole as prey continually decreased, probably because it stayed under the snow. Since the availability of the Common Vole declined, the proportions of the Striped Field Mouse and Lesser White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura suaveolens) as alternative prey grew significantly. In low temperature periods, Brown Rats (Rattus norvegicus) and birds are more often preyed upon. Despite the hunting area being predominantly urban, species preferring open grassland habitats were significantly more common. As winter progressed, the role of forest-dwelling species in the diet continuously increased.

scholarly journals Variation in the diet and breeding biology of the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba) in a demographic cycle of Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) between two outbreaks

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-65
Author(s):  
Adrienn Horváth ◽  
László Bank ◽  
Győző F. Horváth
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Breeding Parameters ◽  
The Common

AbstractIn the present study, we analysed the variation of breeding parameters and the diet composition of the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba) in three different demographic phases of the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) in a complete population cycle between two outbreaks. The study was conducted in the south-eastern part of the Transdanubian region in South Hungary. For the analysis, we used data of 81 randomly selected first clutches from 2015 to 2019, a time period which represented a full demographic cycle of the Common Vole after the 2014 outbreak with an exceptionally high peak. We tested the impact of prey abundance and diversity of diet composition as continuous predictors as well as the demographic phase of Common Vole and the mesoregion as categorical explanatory variables on the measured reproductive outputs as response variables using Generalized Linear Models (GLM). Considering the breeding parameters, the number of fledglings, and fledging and reproductive success were significantly higher in the increase phase than during the vole crash phase. Based on GLM models, our results demonstrated that the clutch size of the Common Barn-owl is determined ultimately by the availability and consumption rate of the Common Vole as main prey, while other small mammal prey categories did not affect the clutch size. These results support the finding that the clutch size of vole-eating raptors and owls, which begin breeding periods in early spring predicts the vole abundance in this early spring period. Considering the other investigated small mammal prey groups, the alternative prey role was confirmed only in case of the Murid rodent prey categories (Apodemus spp., Muridae).

Diet composition, prey choice, and breeding success of Long-eared Owls: effects of multiannual fluctuations in food abundance

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 2373-2381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erkki Korpimäki
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Prey Type ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Alternative Prey ◽  
Optimal Diet ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Vole Cycle ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Voles

Common voles (Microtus epiroticus) were the main prey of Long-eared Owls (Asio otus) breeding in western Finland during 1977 – 1989. They constituted, on average, 58% (range < 15 to > 75%) of the number of prey. Field voles (Microtus agrestis), common shrews (Sorex araneus), bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus), and water voles (Arvicola terrestris) were the most frequent alternative prey. The owls showed strong preference for common voles over the alternative prey species and this preference increased with vole density. If the common vole is the most profitable prey of Long-eared Owls, the between-years variation in the diet was consistent with the three predictions of the conventional model of the optimal diet theory. (1) Predators should feed on the most valuable prey type when prey are abundant. There was a positive correlation between the abundance of common voles and their proportions in the food. (2) No relationships for alternative prey types agreed with the prediction that the inclusion of a prey type in the diet depends only on the abundance of the preferred prey. (3) As predicted by the optimal diet theory, the diet width expanded when the density of common voles decreased and shrank when vole density increased. Annual breeding density (range 0.0–0.4 nests/km2), mean clutch size (3.0 – 6.3), and mean brood size (0.0 – 3.5) were positively related to the spring abundance of common and field voles. Accordingly, it is adaptive for Long-eared Owls to breed in a good area for voles. Because vole abundances in Fennoscandia fluctuate markedly between years and asynchronously between areas, Long-eared Owls should stay in the same area in the increase phase of the vole cycle, but move away when voles decline.

scholarly journals Food-niche pattern of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in intensively cultivated agricultural landscape

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrienn Horváth ◽  
Anita Morvai ◽  
Győző F. Horváth
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
Barn Owls ◽  
Landscape Types ◽  
Food Niche

Abstract This study investigated the dietary niche of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in an intensively farmed landscape, based on pellet samples from 12 nesting pairs containing 25 animal taxa and 1,994 prey items after the breeding season in 2016. Based on land use categories of the buffer area around each nest, three landscape types (agricultural, mosaic, urban) were considered, to analyse the diet composition and food-niche parameters. Niche breadth was calculated at the local and landscape level. Small mammals were the most frequent in the diet than other prey in each of the landscape types. The Common Vole (Microtus arvalis), considered to be an important agricultural pest was the most numerous prey in all landscape groups. The trophic niche of Barn Owl varied between 0.69 – 0.86 at the local level, and the overall value of niche breadth was significantly higher in the urban than in the other two landscape types. Our results showed that the increase of Common Vole frequency lead to a decrease in niche breadth; significantly negative relationship was detected between these parameters. Despite differences in niche breadth, similarly high niche overlaps were detected by the randomisation test in the three landscapes. Our results suggest that the diet composition of Barn Owls, mainly their food-niche pattern, reflected prey availability in the comparison of the studied landscapes, which pointed out that it is necessary to examine the dietary difference of Barn Owls at the finer scale of land use.

scholarly journals Diet composition of syntopically breeding falcon species Falco vespertinus and Falco tinnunculus in south-western Slovakia

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30
Author(s):  
Filip Tulis ◽  
Roman Slobodník ◽  
Vladimír Langraf ◽  
Michal Noga ◽  
Zuzana Krumpálová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Distribution Area ◽  
Population Peak ◽  
Eurasian Kestrel ◽  
Opportunistic Predator ◽  
Protection Area ◽  
Prey Remains ◽  
Food Niche ◽  
Prey Items

Abstract The red-footed falcon and Eurasian falcon represent two syntopical falcon species. While the Eurasian falcon is considered a common and numerous species in Slovakia, the red-footed falcon population has undergone a considerable decline during the past few decades. Nowadays it nests in a single locality in Slovakia, the Sysľovské polia Special Protection Area, which forms the northern and fragmented border of the species distribution area in Europe. By analysing prey remains from 9 nests (from 1998, 2001, 2013, 2014 and 2016), we identified 433 prey items belonging to 35 taxa and 9 orders. Every year, invertebrates made up the major part of the diet spectrum, in which Calosoma auropunctatum, Tettigonia viridissima, Zabrus tenebrioides, Anisoplia aegetum and Rhizotrogus sp. were the most frequent species of prey. Of the vertebrates, Microtus arvalis was the most hunted prey species. By supplementary analysis of 21 photos, we extended our knowledge on the diet by other 6 taxa. The peak of the M. arvalis population growth in 2014 did not manifest itself in the red-footed falcon diet composition. In 1998, 2014 and 2016 we also studied the diet of a syntopical species, the Eurasian kestrel. By analysing prey remains in 22 nests, we identified 1,151 prey items belonging to 37 taxa and 7 orders. In 1998 and 2014 vertebrates predominated, especially the common vole, however in 2016 invertebrates prevailed. This fact could be a reaction to the M. arvalis population peak in 2014 and its decline in 2016. These results suggest that this variability in the foraging behaviour of the Eurasian kestrel, an opportunistic predator, during the hunting of invertebrates increases the diet similarity and overlapping of the food niche of both studied falcon species.

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.

scholarly journals Landscape-related variation in the diet composition of the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) in Belarus

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna A. Sidorovich ◽  
Vladimir V. Ivanovskij ◽  
Vadim E. Sidorovich ◽  
Irina A. Solovej
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Structure ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Small Rodents ◽  
Forest Habitat ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Common Buzzard ◽  
Buteo Buteo ◽  
The Common ◽  
Food Niche

Abstract We examined common buzzard (Buteo buteo) feeding patterns in landscapes with different habitat structure in Belarus. A total of 561 pellets and prey remains were sampled in 1998-2012 from which 1065 prey and other food items were identified. Effects of habitat structure on buzzard diet composition were investigated using correlation analysis. The most abundant group in buzzards’ diets were small rodents (49-80% of the biomass consumed), followed by other mammals and birds. Reptiles, anurans, fish and invertebrates constituted the rest. Proportions of all food items varied greatly between landscapes. The mean-weighted body mass of vertebrate prey hunted by common buzzards in different landscapes ranged from 107 to 244 g, constituting on average 180 g. Among small rodents, voles of the genus Microtus were hunted selectively. The food niche breadth was directly proportional to the amount of forest habitat. With increasing amount of forest habitat, the proportion of Microtus voles in buzzards’ diets decreased and the proportions of other food items grew. These findings confirm the majority of previous results indicating feeding opportunism of the common buzzard. Our investigation enables better understanding of predator-prey interactions and the prey choice of the common buzzard in Belarus.

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