<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In winter 2013/2014 a roost of long-eared owls in Bojnice Spa (central Slovakia) was formed by two subgroups situated 12 meters apart from each other. The diets of both subgroups and the direction of the owls’ departure from the roost were studied at monthly intervals. Owls of the <italic>Pinus</italic>-subgroup left the roost in a significantly different direction compared with the owls in the <italic>Picea</italic>-subgroup. The common vole was the most hunted prey in both subgroups. However, comparing the alternative prey of the two subgroups, the wood mouse and other mammals were found significantly more often in pellets of the <italic>Picea</italic>-sub-group, whereas birds were more frequent in pellets of the <italic>Pinus</italic>-subgroup. Our results suggest that the different prey hunted by the two subgroups may be a consequence of diverging hunting areas with different availability of alternative prey species.</p></abstract>

In winter 2013/2014 a roost of long-eared owls in Bojnice Spa (central Slovakia) was formed by two subgroups situated 12 meters apart from each other. The diets of both subgroups and the direction of the owls’ departure from the roost were studied at monthly intervals. Owls of the Pinus-subgroup left the roost in a significantly different direction compared with the owls in the Picea-subgroup. The common vole was the most hunted prey in both subgroups. However, comparing the alternative prey of the two subgroups, the wood mouse and other mammals were found significantly more often in pellets of the Picea-sub-group, whereas birds were more frequent in pellets of the Pinus-subgroup. Our results suggest that the different prey hunted by the two subgroups may be a consequence of diverging hunting areas with different availability of alternative prey species.

Different alternative diets within two subgroups in a winter roost of long-eared owls

Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra

Raptor Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

In winter 2013/2014 a roost of long-eared owls in Bojnice Spa (central Slovakia) was formed by two subgroups situated 12 meters apart from each other. The...

Different alternative diets within two subgroups in a winter roost of long-eared owls

Published Online: Feb 20, 2020

Page range: 139 - 144

Received: Mar 14, 2019

Accepted: Jul 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2019-0002

Keywords
winter diet, alternative prey, pellet analysis

© 2019 Filip Tulis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Different alternative diets within two subgroups in a winter roost of long-eared owls

Published Online: Feb 20, 2020

Page range: 139 - 144

Received: Mar 14, 2019

Accepted: Jul 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2019-0002

Keywordswinter diet, alternative prey, pellet analysis

© 2019 Filip Tulis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
winter diet, alternative prey, pellet analysis