The importance of micro-habitat in the breeding of Barn OwlsTyto alba

Abstract

Capsule Habitat parameters associated with 706 Barn Owl (Tyto alba) nesting boxes in Israel were analysed. Pairs bred in 259 of the boxes. The intensity of agricultural practices at nestbox sites were shown to have only a weak effect on aspects of Barn Owl breeding in this region.

Effect of the MC1R gene on sexual dimorphism in melanin‐based colorations

“…in the beach mouse, Peromyscus polionotus; Hoekstra et al 2006). Previous studies also support that variation in the pheomelanin-based coloration in the barn owl could have evolved as an adaptation to local selective pressures (Antoniazza et al 2010(Antoniazza et al , 2014, which is also in line with previous findings showing that alternative colour morphs exploit different physical habitats (red individuals tend to occupy less forested habitats and white individuals open landscapes) and prey on different rodent species Charter et al 2012;Dreiss et al 2012). The MC1R gene could be therefore an important part of the genetic underlying basis of such adaptive process, although the question that remains to be tackled is the implication that other loci may have in interaction with MC1R and whether variation at the MC1R gene drove local adaptation across Europe by merely altering the reddish coloration or also by pleiotropically affecting other traits (Mogil et al 2003;Gangoso et al 2011).…”

“…, ), maybe as an adaptation to different physical habitats and/or to prey on different rodent species (Roulin ; Charter et al . ; Dreiss et al . ).…”

“…Although each sex can express any phenotype, females have on average a redder pheomelanic plumage with more and larger black spots than males (Roulin 2003;Dreiss & Roulin 2010). The reddish pheomelanic coloration seems to have evolved in response to local selective pressures (Antoniazza et al 2010(Antoniazza et al , 2014, maybe as an adaptation to different physical habitats and/or to prey on different rodent species (Roulin 2004;Charter et al 2012;Dreiss et al 2012). Eumelanic black spots are sexually antagonistically selected, with females and males being selected to display large and small spots, respectively (Roulin 1999;Roulin et al 2010;Roulin & Ducrest 2011).…”

A Record of Communal Nesting in the Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

“…In Israel, Barn Owls breed in both nest boxes (Meyrom et al 2009, Charter et al 2010, Charter et al 2012) and in man-made structures (Meyrom et al 2008) with breeding densities as high as 233 breeding pairs per 100 km 2 (Meyrom et al 2009). Breeding pairs can breed in close proximity to one another as two pairs were reported breeding in nest boxes only 5 m apart in the Jezreel Valley, Israel (K. Meyrom, pers.…”

Strategies of Owl Reproduction

“…However, barn owls in the Middle East have been observed to be lighter coloured than those in temperate regions [31]. Darker owls have been reported to have larger wings and tails as well as consume lesser Muridae than darker-reddish owls, which were reported to consume more of Cricetidae [32].…”