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Breeding-season food habits of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in southwestern Dominican Republic

January 1, 1998

Diet data from 20 Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) nests were collected in southwestern Dominican Republic in 1976, 1982, and 1996. Invertebrates (53.3%) comprised the most numerous prey items (N = 396) delivered to nests by adult owls, but vertebrates (46.7%) were much better represented than in other studies of Burrowing Owl diet. Among vertebrates, birds (28.3% of all items) and reptiles (14.9%) were most important, whereas mammals (1.0%) and amphibians (2.5%) were less commonly delivered to nests. Vertebrates, however, comprised more than twice (69.2%) of the total biomass as invertebrates (30.8%), with birds (50.4%) and reptiles (12.8%) the most important of the vertebrate prey classes. A positive relationship was observed between bird species abundance and number of individuals taken as prey by Burrowing Owls.

Publication Year 1998
Title Breeding-season food habits of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in southwestern Dominican Republic
Authors J. W. Wiley
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Journal of Raptor Research
Index ID 70020808
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse