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

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 bir...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis
Main Authors: Tomáš Veselovský, Kristián Bacsa, Filip Tulis
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Mendel University Press 2017
Subjects:
Barn Owl
diversity
diet
land use
Microtus oeconomus
Agriculture
S
Biology (General)
QH301-705.5
Common vole
Microtus arvalis
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.11118/actaun201765010225
https://doaj.org/article/fc71675d02174ab594fe9115bedeb06e
Description
Summary: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.

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