Analysis of mammal remains from owl pellets (Tyto alba), in a suburban area in Baja California

Álvarez-Castañeda, Sergio Ticul; Cárdenas, Natali; Méndez, Lía

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2004.01.009

Cited by 26 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…'!be Kori salamande>-was thought to have been taken in the Dalsung wetland or the adjacent areas. In addition, it might be )XISSible to identify reptiles and insects as prey, as was found in the previous studies (Banks, 1965;Alvarez-Castaneda et al, 2004). However, no such prey species were fOlUld in this study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 47%

Application of molecular methods to identify food resources of short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) in wetland community

Kim

Lee

et al. 2009

Genes & Genomics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), which lives in open wetland habitats, has been threatened and become endangered in South Korea due to the destruction and loss of its habitats. However, the diet of the short-eared owl remains to be studied. 'The prey of the short-eared owl was monitored using molecular methods as an alternative tool. A total of 121 pellets of the species were collected in the Dalsung wetland. Of these pellets, aoout 3()01o (n =33) were selected for prey identification in 2002 (n = 12), 2003 (n = 6) and 2006 (n = 15). 'IWo hundred and thirty-two oone fragments were successfully analyzed and 9 prey species were detected. In an expanded analysis, excluding 4 pellets used for the preliminary analysis, small manunals constituted the highest percentage (89.10/0,): 47.6% Eurasian field mouse (Apodemus agrarius); 27.2% European harvest mouse (Micromys minutus); 6.1% Japanese wild house mouse (Mus musculus); 5.4% Asian lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura shantungensis); and 2.7% Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). Not only small mammals, but birds and amphibians were also identified: 4.1% Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica); 3.4% vinous-throated parrotbill

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 47%

Application of molecular methods to identify food resources of short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) in wetland community

Kim

Lee

et al. 2009

Genes & Genomics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the urban desert scrub gophers were collected within urban areas, where a reduced activity of raptors could be expected. An analysis of pellets of the owl Tyto alba in La Paz area indicated low predation on pocket gophers (Álvarez-Castañeda et al 2004). Habitats with intermediate vegetation cover also showed intermediate variation in color pelage (e.g., Mediterranean scrub).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Pelage color variation in pocket gophers (Rodentia: Geomyidae) in relation to sex, age and differences in habitat

Rios¹,

Álvarez-Castañeda²

2012

Mammalian Biology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

a b s t r a c tPelage coloration is a phenotypic characteristic in mammals that could be associated with an individual's survival and fitness; thus coloration gains adaptive importance. In geomyids, pelage coloration shows a relationship with the color of soils on which they live, mainly freshly dug soil of their burrows. This characteristic could be due to a camouflage adaptation to avoid predators. Pocket gophers disperse aboveground to establish a territory before they reach reproductive condition, and males disperse longer distances than females. The aim of this study was to evaluate pelage color variation in pocket gophers (Thomomys anitae) in relation to habitat differences, sex, and age, and determine its association to the color of the soil on which they live. Brightness of T. anitae's dorsal pelage coloration and that of soil samples from five different habitats in the Baja California peninsula, Mexico were measured to test four hypotheses: (1) Subadults show a wide coloration range, but extreme colors are lost in adulthood due to natural selection. (2) Males are more vulnerable to depredation than females; therefore, males' coloration is more homogenous as a protective camouflage. (3) In open habitats pocket gophers are more exposed to being detected by predators, therefore their pelage coloration pattern is less variable than that of individuals from habitats with more vegetation cover. (4) Pelage coloration better matches soil coloration in moist conditions similar to that of freshly dug soil of their burrows. The results confirmed our predictions; however, selection does not impose an equal pressure on pelage coloration on the five habitats evaluated; other factors such as population density and predator presence need to be assessed. The strongest effects are found in the most open habitat, and there is less strong support for predictions in habitats where predator assemblage is diminished.

show abstract

“…Another attractive attribute is the fact that small mammals, especially rodents, are the main prey source of barn owls and its diet is an accurate reflection of the local fauna composition as well as population fluctuations of prey (Alvarez-Castaneda et al, 2004;Tores et al, 2005;Granjon & Traore 2007;Magrini & Facure, 2008;Charter et al, 2009). Despite barn owls' relatively smaller size, their high metabolic rate enables them to exhibit a relatively high consumption rate, and are reported to feed up to one fourth of their body weight in prey daily (Marti et al, 2005).…”

Section: Why Barn Owls Are So Frequently Considered As Biological Rodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are avian predators effective biological control agents for rodent pest management in agricultural systems?

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Worldwide rodent pests are of significant economic and health importance.Controlling rodent pests will, therefore, not only benefit food security, but also human and animal health. While rodent pests are most often chemically controlled, there is increased interest in biological control through avian predation. A rich body of research has addressed the impact of avian predators on wild rodent populations, but little is known about the effectiveness of avian predators as biological control agents of rodent pests in agricultural systems. In this study we systematically reviewed research that investigated different aspects of avian predation on rodent pest populations in order to increase our understanding of the impact and effectiveness of avian predation on rodent pests. Several avian predators (Tyto alba, Elanus axillaris Falco tinnunculus, F. cenchroides, Bubo bengalensis, Buteo rufinus) were commonly cited in the biological control of rodents; however, barn owls (T. alba) are the most cited species (86% of studies). We found some support that the use of avian predators produced positive, measurable effects where increased presence of avian predators tended to lower rodent pest numbers, resulting in lower crop damage. However, our review highlighted several shortcomings related to research on avian predation of rodent pests. First, research concerning rodent pest control through avian predation was limited (1.86 articles per year). Secondly we found that studies lack statistical rigor to detect and measure change in rodent pest species abundance. Finally, the majority of studies were short term and therefore not able to evaluate long term sustainable rodent pest population suppression. We suggest that current shortcomings could be adequately addressed with control-treatment studies that quantitatively investigate the effects of avian predation on rodent pest populations and agricultural impact.Such research could help develop recommendations regarding the use of avian predators in rodent pest management.

show abstract

Analysis of mammal remains from owl pellets (Tyto alba), in a suburban area in Baja California

Cited by 26 publications

References 15 publications

Application of molecular methods to identify food resources of short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) in wetland community

Application of molecular methods to identify food resources of short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) in wetland community

Pelage color variation in pocket gophers (Rodentia: Geomyidae) in relation to sex, age and differences in habitat

Are avian predators effective biological control agents for rodent pest management in agricultural systems?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About