The Pattern of Distribution of Prey and Predation in Tawny Owl Territories

Diet shifts of the tawny owl Strix aluco in central and northern Italy

“…It may be that the individuals hunting in wooded habitats encounter large prey so frequently that small ones are more likely to be ignored when encountered (Krebs et al, 1977). Southern & Lowe (1968) found that vegetation density affected the hunting pattern and success of tawny owls in Wytham Woods. For instance, wood mice Apodemus sp.…”

Implications of temporal changes in forest dynamics on density, nest-site selection, diet and productivity of Tawny OwlsStrix alucoin the Alps

“…Long-term and all-year-round maintenance of an allpurpose territory may promote selection of a structurally diverse foraging area, allowing for rapid prey/habitat switching among seasons and years, as originally pointed out by Southern & Lowe (1968;Petty 1989). In turn, this may explain why territories with higher richness of vegetation types and boundaries also enjoyed higher productivity, which further suggests that the observed choices were adaptive, and that such a selected feature was a component of territory quality for the owls.…”

“…n = Number of items; % n = % by number; % w = % by live weight. a Includes: Common Shrew Sorex araneus (in order of habitat, respectively: n = 0, n = 1, n = 7, n = 0); Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus ( latter result is to be expected for various reasons: (a) Tawny Owls are a 'sit-and-wait' predator often exploiting habitat edges (Southern & Lowe 1968, Hardy 1992, Redpath 1995; (b) the owl diet usually varies seasonally, being dominated in different periods by prey types associated with different habitats (Southern & Lowe 1968, Wendland 1984, Galeotti 2001; and (c) prey abundance and diet composition may vary radically between years within each territory, which is usually occupied for life (Southern & Lowe 1968, Petty & Saurola 1997.…”

Starvation in young Tawny Owls

“…Ringing recoveries indicate considerable mortality during the first year of life (62.6%; Southern 1970), particularly in the period of early independence between August-November (Hirons 1976, Glue 1973, even though the availability of prey is increasing at this time (Hardy 1977, Southern andLowe 1968). Southern (1970) suggested that young birds starve during this period through being prevented by resident adults from establishing territories of their own, but he was able to cite only one unequivocal case of such starvation.…”