Survey of the small mammal fauna in north-western Somogy county (Hungary), based on Barn Owl Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769) pellet analysis

• Published in: Natura Somogyiensis
• Main Author: Purger, J. Jenő
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Somogy Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága 2014
• Subjects: QL Zoology / állattan; Nyctalus noctula; Pipistrellus nathusii
• Online Access: http://real.mtak.hu/166492/; http://real.mtak.hu/166492/1/fc00c714aae47fa29481a61876e97faa; https://doi.org/10.24394/NatSom.2014.24.293

Barn Owl pellets were collected in Somogy county between 1994 and 2012, from 30 localities (investigated area: XM65, XM77, XM76, XM75, XM87, XM86, XM85, XM97 and XM96 UTM grids). In a total of 3114 Barn Owl pellets there were 9693 prey remnants (the prey per pellet ratio was 3.1). Small mammals were dominating (98.4%). Remnants of birds, amphibians and insects made up 1.6% of total prey. Mammal prey consisted of Soricomorpha (Crocidura leucodon, C. suaveolens, Sorex araneus, S. minutus, Neomys anomalus, N. fodines) 46.7%, Chiroptera (Eptesicus serotinus, Pipistrellus nathusii, Nyctalus noctula, Plecotus auritus, P. austriacus, Myotis myotis) 0.1% and Rodentia (Muscardinus avellanarius, Microtus agrestis, M. arvalis, M. oeconomus, M. subterraneus, Arvicola amphibius, Myodes glareolus, Apodemus agrarius, A. flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, A. uralensis, Micromys minutus, Mus musculus, M. spicilegus, Rattus norvegicus) 53.2%. In this paper, distribution data for 27 small mammal species are presented. Other important results include the confirmation of the occurrence of Pygmy Field Mouse (Apodemus uralensis), noted in two new locations (UTM: XM85, XM96) in Somogy county, as well as the finding of Root Vole (Microtus oeconomus) remnants from new localities (UTM: XM87, XM86, XM97, XM96).