Food composition of the Little Owl<i>(Athene noctua)</i>in a farmland area of Central Hungary, with particular attention to arthropod diversity

Hámori, Dániel; Szél, Győző; Winkler, Dániel

doi:10.1515/orhu-2017-0014

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Although direct observations or remote camera systems can provide the most accurate datasets for studying the diet of raptors during the breeding season (Takeuchi et al 2006, Sánchez et al 2008, such investigations are expensive and they can only gather data from a very limited number of territories. Therefore, usually indirect methods are used for diet analyses, such as the collection and analysis of pellets is the most widespread method for the diet analyses of owls (Halliez et al 2015, Hámori et al 2017, Szép et al 2017. In case of diurnal raptors, the data derived from pellets can be significantly completed with the analyses of other prey remains, such as bones, hairs and feathers found around nest sites and roosting trees (Watson et al 1993, Balogh 1998, Preston et al 2017.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal changes in the diet composition of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in Hungary

Horváth¹,

Solti²,

Fatér³

et al. 2018

Ornis Hungarica

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The diet composition of breeding Eastern Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca) was analysed in Hungary between 2005 and 2017, and compared with two previously published datasets from the periods of 1982-1991 and 1992-2004. Altogether the distribution of 8543 prey items of 126 different species and 29 other taxa were analysed within a 36-years period. We found that the previously abundant Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus) became marginal (7.42%), while European Sousliks (Spermophilus citellus) practically disappeared (0.03%) from the diet of Imperial Eagles. Small game species, like the Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and the Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) composed a remarkable part of the diet (11.22% and 28.11% respectively), which raised some conflicts with hunters regionally and probably also contributed to the high prevalence of persecution incidents against the eagles. In parallel with the loss of traditional prey species, corvids (13.10%), pigeons (8.90%), waterbirds (6.83%), other rodents (6.71%), Roe Deers (Capreolus capreolus) (5.59%), raptors and owls (4.88%) became regularly detected prey species. The temporal changes of the main prey categories were analysed between 1998 and 2017, when the ratio of Hamster and Pheasant showed significant decrease (-27.29% and -6.38%, respectively). The ratio of Brown Hare also showed slight decrease (-3.98%), but the change was not significant. On the other hand, the ratio of corvids, waterbirds and Roe Deers within the diet showed significant increase (+18.20%, +6.25% and +5.39%, respectively). The observed flexibility in the foraging behaviour of Imperial Eagles greatly facilitate conservation efforts, as they seems to be able to utilize the most abundant prey sources, i.e. they were not depending solely from the status of any single specific prey source. However, eagles could only shift and survive in those regions, where their traditional preys decreased, if alternative species were available for them.Összefoglalás A parlagi sasok (Aquila heliaca) táplálék-összetételét vizsgáltuk Magyarországon 2005-2017 között és összehasonlítottuk két korábban publikált időszak (1982)(1983)(1984)(1985)(1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004) adatsoraival. A 36 éves időszak alatt összesen 126 különböző fajhoz és további 29 taxonhoz tartozó 8543 zsákmányállatot sikerült beazonosítanunk. Korábban a mezei hörcsög (Cricetus cricetus) a leggyakoribb, míg a közönséges ürge (Spermophilus citellus) rendszeres zsákmánynak számított, azonban ritka zsákmánnyá váltak a 2005-2017 közötti időszakra (7,42% és 0,03%). Az apróvad-fajok közül a fácán (Phasianus colchicus) és a mezei nyúl (Lepus europaeus) jelentős részét tették ki a tápláléknak (11,22% és 28,11%), amely egyes területeken ellenérzést keltett a vadászokban, és valószínűleg szerepet játszott a sasok ellen elkövetett bűncselekmények magas gyakoriságában is. A hagyományos zsákmány-fajok visszaszorulásával párhuzamosan a varjú-(13,10%) és galambfélék (8,90%), a ví...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal changes in the diet composition of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in Hungary

Horváth¹,

Solti²,

Fatér³

et al. 2018

Ornis Hungarica

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“…In this study, we addressed this hypothesis by using data on the diet of a little owl ( Athene noctua ) population in an arid area in south Tunisia. The little owl is a widely distributed owl species (del Hoyo et al., 1992), and its diet has been studied extensively worldwide (see reviews in Kayahan & Tabur, 2016; Hámori et al., 2017; Kolendrianou et al., 2022). Overall, findings highlighted an impressive inter‐population variability in the diet, in relation to climate conditions and ecosystem productivity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Little owls (Athene noctua) shift their diet towards nocturnal beetles in an arid North African area

Saada,

Hammouda,

Romanowski

et al. 2024

Afr J Ecol

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Urban life is associated with dietary shifts in opportunistic predators, such as raptors. This is presumably true in food‐poor environments, such as drylands. We investigated this issue in little owls (Athene noctua) inhabiting an arid southern Tunisian area. Using pellet data, we found that coleopterans accounted for 69% of ingested food items. Controlling for prey availability, this coleopteran‐based diet was more notable in the urban environment compared to rural areas. We suggest that habitat conditions in the urban areas have increased the catchability of nocturnal coleopterans which were then more exposed to predation by little owls than in rural areas.

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Little Owl’s (Athene noctua) vertebrate food composition during breeding season with high frog dominance in grasslands

2019

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The aim of our study was to investigate the feeding of the Little Owl (Athene noctua) during the breeding period in three protected sites (Upper Kiskunság Puszta, Upper Kiskunság Lakes, Peszéradacs Meadows) in an extensively managed lowland plain area (Upper Kiskunság) of the Carpathian Basin. A further objective was to provide a detailed assessment of the vertebrate prey spectrum and dominance structure based on the analyses of pellets. Little Owl pellets were collected in September 2015 and 2016 from 20 artificial nest boxes in which successful breeding occurred in both years. Mean pellet number was calculated per individuals. Distribution of individual number and biomass of vertebrate prey taxa were also examined. The number of collected and dissected owl pellets was 2,094 in 2015 and 2,024 in 2016, respectively. The average rate of pellet regurgitation was 25.57 pellets/ind. in 2015, and 27.74 pellets/ind. in 2016. From the 40 samples (4,118 owl pellets) a total of 2,017 vertebrate preys were determined. Cumulative species richness was 21, including 12 mammalian, 1 amphibian, 4 reptile and 4 bird species. Mammals were dominant in the food (average 50.83%), and the consumption of amphibians was similar (48.06%). The consumption of birds and reptiles was not significant. Amphibians were represented by a single species, the Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus) in remarkably high proportions among the prey items, followed by the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) by approx. 37% proportion. The high proportion of the latter two species was also clearly reflected in the biomass amounts. Among the birds, the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) proved to be the most commonly predated species apart from other species closely related to farmland habitats (Motacilla alba, M. flava, Passer montanus).

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Food composition of the Little Owl(Athene noctua)in a farmland area of Central Hungary, with particular attention to arthropod diversity

Cited by 5 publications

References 24 publications

Temporal changes in the diet composition of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in Hungary

Temporal changes in the diet composition of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in Hungary

Little owls (Athene noctua) shift their diet towards nocturnal beetles in an arid North African area

Little Owl’s (Athene noctua) vertebrate food composition during breeding season with high frog dominance in grasslands

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