<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The diet of the endemic Cyprus scops owl (<italic>Otus cyprius</italic>) was studied for the first time during the breeding season 2021 in 7 nesting sites from 6 sampling locations using the pellet analysis (n = 65 pellets). Insects, mostly Orthoptera and Coleoptera, comprised the bulk of the owl diet (87% abundance, 31% biomass), whereas small mammals and reptiles were important in terms of biomass, with 41% and 24%, respectively. Birds were the lowest prey order, with 0.6% abundance and 3.6% biomass. The most essential insects were grasshoppers (Acrididae) (17%) and scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) (6%). From vertebrate prey, Mus spp. (23.7%), Mediterranean house gecko (<italic>Hemidactylus turcicus</italic>) (8%), Cyprus spiny mice (<italic>Acomys nesiotes</italic>) (8%), juvenile black rats (<italic>Rattus rattus</italic>) (7%), and Cyprus agamas (<italic>Laudakia cypriaca</italic>) (5%) stand out as % biomass. Predation on a bat species (<italic>Pipistrellus</italic> sp.) by scops owl was documented for the first time in Cyprus. The estimated prey biomass ranged from 0.1 – 25 grams, averaging 2.1 g.</p>
</abstract>

The diet of the endemic Cyprus scops owl (Otus cyprius) was studied for the first time during the breeding season 2021 in 7 nesting sites from 6 sampling locations using the pellet analysis (n = 65 pellets). Insects, mostly Orthoptera and Coleoptera, comprised the bulk of the owl diet (87% abundance, 31% biomass), whereas small mammals and reptiles were important in terms of biomass, with 41% and 24%, respectively. Birds were the lowest prey order, with 0.6% abundance and 3.6% biomass. The most essential insects were grasshoppers (Acrididae) (17%) and scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) (6%). From vertebrate prey, Mus spp. (23.7%), Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) (8%), Cyprus spiny mice (Acomys nesiotes) (8%), juvenile black rats (Rattus rattus) (7%), and Cyprus agamas (Laudakia cypriaca) (5%) stand out as % biomass. Predation on a bat species (Pipistrellus sp.) by scops owl was documented for the first time in Cyprus. The estimated prey biomass ranged from 0.1 – 25 grams, averaging 2.1 g.

Food habits of the endemic Cyprus scops owl (<italic>Otus cyprius</italic>) during the breeding season

Raptor Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Food habits of the endemic Cyprus scops owl () during the breeding season

The diet of the endemic Cyprus scops owl (Otus cyprius) was studied for the first time during the breeding season 2021 in 7 nesting sites from 6 sampling...

Food habits of the endemic Cyprus scops owl (Otus cyprius) during the breeding season

Published Online: Mar 05, 2024

Page range: 1 - 7

Received: Apr 11, 2023

Accepted: Jan 11, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2024-0001

Keywords
foraging, birds of prey, pellet, diet, Orthoptera, Coleoptera

© 2024 Nicolaos Kassinis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Food habits of the endemic Cyprus scops owl (Otus cyprius) during the breeding season

Published Online: Mar 05, 2024

Page range: 1 - 7

Received: Apr 11, 2023

Accepted: Jan 11, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2024-0001

Keywordsforaging, birds of prey, pellet, diet, Orthoptera, Coleoptera

© 2024 Nicolaos Kassinis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
foraging, birds of prey, pellet, diet, Orthoptera, Coleoptera