The seasonal diet and variation in the prey selection of the little owl (Athene noctua) in the Northeast of Iran
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7348991Keywords:
Biodiversity, Birds of prey, Dietary niche, Middle East, pelletsAbstract
Information on the dietary niche is an integral and challenging part of conservation planning, and it is essential for understanding the status of a species in biological communities and conservation. In this study, to investigate the diet of little owls Athene noctua (Strigiformes: Strigidae) in northeastern Iran's Khorasan Razavi Province, a total of 402 pellets were collected during 2019-2020. The results indicated that during four seasons, the diets of the studied little owls (contained: 72.9% rodents, 12% insects, 10.1% eulipotyphla, 2.9% birds, and 2.1% reptiles). Rodents, included Muridae, Dipodidae, and Cricetidae families. Muridae had the highest percentages in the pellets (Mus musculus) and (Meriones sp.) with 48.2% and 33.1% relative abundance, respectively). The percentage of rodents in winter, with 82.8% was superior in comparison to other seasons, and then in autumn with 77.3%, and in spring and summer with 62.9%. Simpson Biodiversity Index was 0.653 for the whole year. Spring and winter had the highest (0.758), and lowest biodiversity index (0.542), respectively. The implication of the results of this study might be in the conservation and management programs, as well.
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