Variation in the diet and breeding biology of the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba) in a demographic cycle of Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) between two outbreaks×

Morvai

Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hung.

2022

Self Cite

As an opportunistic predator, the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba) proved to be an appropriate model organism to survey the composition of small mammal assemblages. This study analysed barn owls’ pellet samples from 14 localities containing 34 animal taxa and 4,088 prey items in two years (2015–2016). Two groups of samples (7–7 localities) were separated based on the dominance of semi-natural habitats and agricultural lands. Rarefaction analysis proved that the species richness and diversity of barn owls’ diet were significantly higher in semi-natural landscapes. The multiple regression analysis between PCA scores showed that in the agrarian landscape the abundance of generalist species was influenced by the proportion of forests, while the value of the trophic level index was determined by the size of arable fields. In the case of semi-natural landscapes, the abundance of the synantrop guild and generalist species, especially S. araneus and A. agrarius, was influenced by the proportion of urban areas, the number of habitats and the size of arable fields. The results of this study suggested that the small mammal consumption of the Common Barn-owl is significantly different in the two landscapes, which reflects the impact of habitat heterogeneity and agricultural activity on prey availability.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Difference in small mammal assemblages in the diet of the Common Barn-Owl Tyto alba between two landscapes

Morvai

Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hung.

2022

Self Cite

“…Shrews are more typical prey for the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) [66][67][68] than for the Long-eared Owl. 22 These functional responses in diet to a changing availability of the main prey are wellknown in Long-eared Owls 29,30,69 and also in other owl species, such as the Barn Owl, 68,70,71 and other raptors which prefer an agricultural landscape. 72,73 Other prey species whose abundance increased only in some winters were a temporary supplementary prey.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Winter diet of Long-eared Owls (Asio otus) in the southern Pannonian Plain (Serbia, Vojvodina)

Tulis

Poljak²,

Ružić

et al. 2021

Avian Biology Research

Owl diets undergo qualitative changes across the different regions of their area of distribution. During the four winters (from 2014–15 to 2017–18), Long-eared Owls’ pellets were collected at three winterroosts located at the southern part of Pannonian Plain, in the Serbian province of Vojvodina. In 8070 prey items from pellets, we identified 16 mammal and 32 bird species. The Common Vole was the dominant prey species with a proportion in a range from 27.4% to 71.6%. The Muridae family formed a supplementary part of the diet: Mus sp., wood mouse and harvest mouse, during all winters. Birds were also a major supplementary prey during winter 2014–15, comprising 10.6%. A comparison of our results with the diet of Long-eared Owls wintering at the northern Pannonian plain (southwestern Slovakia) indicated an increase the proportion of some species in the southern part. How different land uses in agriculture and environmental conditions may be reflected in the food supply are discussed in relation to the diet composition of Long-eared Owls and an environment whose is richer provides both growing diversity in the diet of these owls and an expansion of their food niche. Our study described the Long-eared Owl as opportunistic predators expanding their food niche in the presence of diversified prey.

“…In the south Transdanubian region of Hungary, where the recent study was carried out, barn owl (Tyto alba) is one of the most important vole specialist raptors. In a study between 2015 and 2019, the researchers established that the relative abundance of common vole in the diet of barn owls is 13–94% 41 . Another study found that in semi-natural and agricultural habitats, the frequency of occurrence of common vole in the birds’ diet was 35.6% and 57.7%, respectively.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on burrow counting and pellet analysis, 2014 41 , 2016 38 , 2017 31 , and 2019 38 are labelled as common vole outbreak years. Small rodent populations have cyclic increase, peak and crash periods every 2–5 years.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global and local drivers of Echinococcus multilocularis infection in the western Balkan region

Moloi,

Tari,

Halász

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

The cestode, Echinococcus multilocularis, is one of the most threatening parasitic challenges in the European Union. Despite the warming climate, the parasite intensively spread in Europe's colder and warmer regions. Little is known about the expansion of E. multilocularis in the Balkan region. Ordinary least squares, geographically weighted and multi-scale geographically weighted regressions were used to detect global and local drivers that influenced the prevalence in red foxes and golden jackals in the southwestern part of Hungary. Based on the study of 391 animals, the overall prevalence exceeded 18% (in fox 15.2%, in jackal 21.1%). The regression models revealed that the wetland had a global effect (β = 0.391, p = 0.006). In contrast, on the local scale, the mean annual precipitation (β = 0.285, p = 0.008) and the precipitation seasonality (β = − 0.211, p = 0.014) had statistically significant effects on the infection level. The geospatial models suggested that microclimatic effects might compensate for the disadvantages of a warmer Mediterranean climate. This study calls attention to fine-scale analysis and locally acting environmental factors, which can delay the expected epidemic fade-out. The findings of our study are suggested to consider in surveillance strategies.