A case of predation of an Eurasian Eagle Owl by a Bonelli's eagle.

• Published in: Journal of Raptor Research
• Main Authors: López López, Pascual, García Ripollés, Clara, Giménez, José, Urios, Vicente
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Zoologia; eurasian eagle-owl
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10550/58911; https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-16-26.1

Although some of these hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, in light of our field observations and experience with both species in the study area, we would favor the first hypothesis as food availability is low in our study area (P. López-López, C. García-Ripollés, J. Giménez, and V. Urios unpubl. data). The second and third hypotheses could also account for this behavior, especially considering previous events of nestling Bonelli's Eagles being killed by eagle-owls (Real and Manosa 1990). Notwithstanding, if the''predatorremoval hypothesis'' were true, the frequency of lethal interactions among both species would be probably much higher and thus previously reported in the literature. Unfortunately, we cannot rule out the fourth hypothesis, as the eagle-owl was partially consumed and hence we were unable to determine information about its body condition.