Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in Cyprus
Abstract Background The barn owl, a nocturnal raptor with cosmopolitan distribution, shows a great adaptability to different environments. Regarding prey, the barn owl is a rather selective species, but if changes in the abundance of the selected prey occur, it becomes an opportunistic predator and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
2018-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Biological Research - Thessaloniki |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40709-018-0080-8 |
| _version_ | 1811193015187800064 |
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| author | Michaella Moysi Maria Christou Vassilis Goutner Nikos Kassinis Savvas Iezekiel |
| author_facet | Michaella Moysi Maria Christou Vassilis Goutner Nikos Kassinis Savvas Iezekiel |
| author_sort | Michaella Moysi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The barn owl, a nocturnal raptor with cosmopolitan distribution, shows a great adaptability to different environments. Regarding prey, the barn owl is a rather selective species, but if changes in the abundance of the selected prey occur, it becomes an opportunistic predator and easily incorporates other prey in its diet, using a wide range of prey species and foraging habitats. Small rodents are usually the prey mostly used. Compared to the populations of north and eastern Europe, barn owl populations in the Mediterranean area have been the least studied. In Cyprus, where barn owl is a common bird species, there are no studies on its diet and feeding ecology. This study was carried out to contribute to the spatial and temporal patterns barn owl diet in Cyprus also providing information on small mammals’ presence and species composition on the island. Methods This study was based on 1407 regurgitated pellet analysis that were collected from 26 sites representing six major habitat types on central and southern Cyprus from summer 2013 to summer 2014. The diet of the barn owl was described in terms of seasonal average biomass and numerical percentages of each prey species and compared by Kruskal–Wallis test. Seasonal prey diversity and evenness indices were also calculated. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on the prey biomass proportion data assigned to six major habitat types with regard to elevation, vegetation and human uses. Results Low prey diversity was found comprised mainly of rodents (overall means 96.2 and 95.7% by number and biomass, respectively). Mice followed by rats were most important prey whereas insectivores, birds and insects were minor components of the owl’s diet. Evenness and diversity values were relatively similar among seasons. PCA differentiated mainly between lowland areas where mice were more abundant prey and mountainous areas where rats dominated in the diet. Insectivores correlated with birds, prey types characterizing several lowland and highland habitats. Conclusions The barn owl prey composition in Cyprus suggests an opportunistic foraging behavior, low prey species diversity with variations in the main rodent prey that could be explained by their distribution, seasonal activity and habitat preferences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:01:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10d9e26d05094333869a733e62099ce5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2241-5793 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:01:19Z |
| publishDate | 2018-05-01 |
| publisher | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Biological Research - Thessaloniki |
| spelling | doaj.art-10d9e26d05094333869a733e62099ce52022-12-22T03:56:13ZengAristotle University of ThessalonikiJournal of Biological Research - Thessaloniki2241-57932018-05-012511810.1186/s40709-018-0080-8Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in CyprusMichaella Moysi0Maria Christou1Vassilis Goutner2Nikos Kassinis3Savvas Iezekiel4School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH)School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH)School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH)Game and Fauna Service, Ministry of the InteriorCyprus Association for the Protection of AvifaunaAbstract Background The barn owl, a nocturnal raptor with cosmopolitan distribution, shows a great adaptability to different environments. Regarding prey, the barn owl is a rather selective species, but if changes in the abundance of the selected prey occur, it becomes an opportunistic predator and easily incorporates other prey in its diet, using a wide range of prey species and foraging habitats. Small rodents are usually the prey mostly used. Compared to the populations of north and eastern Europe, barn owl populations in the Mediterranean area have been the least studied. In Cyprus, where barn owl is a common bird species, there are no studies on its diet and feeding ecology. This study was carried out to contribute to the spatial and temporal patterns barn owl diet in Cyprus also providing information on small mammals’ presence and species composition on the island. Methods This study was based on 1407 regurgitated pellet analysis that were collected from 26 sites representing six major habitat types on central and southern Cyprus from summer 2013 to summer 2014. The diet of the barn owl was described in terms of seasonal average biomass and numerical percentages of each prey species and compared by Kruskal–Wallis test. Seasonal prey diversity and evenness indices were also calculated. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on the prey biomass proportion data assigned to six major habitat types with regard to elevation, vegetation and human uses. Results Low prey diversity was found comprised mainly of rodents (overall means 96.2 and 95.7% by number and biomass, respectively). Mice followed by rats were most important prey whereas insectivores, birds and insects were minor components of the owl’s diet. Evenness and diversity values were relatively similar among seasons. PCA differentiated mainly between lowland areas where mice were more abundant prey and mountainous areas where rats dominated in the diet. Insectivores correlated with birds, prey types characterizing several lowland and highland habitats. Conclusions The barn owl prey composition in Cyprus suggests an opportunistic foraging behavior, low prey species diversity with variations in the main rodent prey that could be explained by their distribution, seasonal activity and habitat preferences.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40709-018-0080-8Barn owlCyprusFeeding ecologyTyto alba |
| spellingShingle | Michaella Moysi Maria Christou Vassilis Goutner Nikos Kassinis Savvas Iezekiel Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in Cyprus Journal of Biological Research - Thessaloniki Barn owl Cyprus Feeding ecology Tyto alba |
| title | Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in Cyprus |
| title_full | Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in Cyprus |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in Cyprus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in Cyprus |
| title_short | Spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl (Tyto alba) in Cyprus |
| title_sort | spatial and temporal patterns in the diet of barn owl tyto alba in cyprus |
| topic | Barn owl Cyprus Feeding ecology Tyto alba |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40709-018-0080-8 |
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