<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> We completed data on the diet of the barn owl (Tyto alba) predominately from pellets for the period of the last 50 years from Slovakia. We analyzed material from 251 locations and 16 territorial units. The aggregate represents 119,231 pieces of prey from 47 species of mammals (Mammalia, 95.7%) and 58 species of birds (Aves, 3.9%), with a small representation of amphibians, reptiles (Amphibia and Reptilia, 0.2%) and invertebrates (Invertebrata, 0.2%). The obtaining of food among the owls is limited to synanthropic environments and the surrounding agricultural landscape, and the centre of its distribution in the recent period (i.e. the past 50 years: 1965-201 5) has been concentrated mainly on the southern parts of Slovakia. In this environment the common vole (Microtus arvalis, 59.6%) is the primary prey. Additional prey are rodents of the family Muridae: Mus musculus (5.6%), Micromys minutus (2.2%), Apodemus microps (2.2%), A. flavicollis (2.0%), A. sylvaticus (1 .6%) and A. agrarius (1 .5%); insectivores of the family Soricidae: Sorex araneus (6.2%), S. minutus (2.4%), Crocidura leucodon (4.8%) and C. suaveolens (2.8%); and the house sparrow Passer domesticus (2.9%). In the higher situated Turcianska kotlina Basin the species M. arvalis (74.3%) has higher domination, and instead of the white-toothed shrews the water shrews Neomys anomalus (2.8%) and N. fodiens (1 .3%) are more abundantly represented. In 3 localities owls focused on hunting bats; for example, in the church in Ratková the order Chiroptera made up 35.2% of prey. From the subrecent period (i.e. from before more than 50 years ago) we evaluate 4 samples from the territory of Slovakia with 15,601 pieces of prey ofT. alba. Before more than 50 years ago owls were also more abundantly represented at higher elevations in Slovakia, evidence of which is Weisz’s collection of pellets from 1 6 localities in the Ondavská vrchovina Upland in the years 1945 to 1963, but also a registry of data from the 19th and 20th centuries from higher located basins. In 4 samples of food from the subrecent period diversity in the representation of owl prey is higher, accompanied by low domination ofM. arvalis and a more abundant representation of murids from the genera Mus and Apodemus. The oldest sample, dated to the 16th century, is from a church in Žilina-Rudiny</abstract>

Botanical garden of Comenius University, SK-038 15 Blatnica,

Raptor Protection of Slovakia, Kuklovská 5, SK-84104 Bratislava,

Recent and subrecent diet of the barn owl (Tyto alba) in Slovakia

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> Between 2008 and 2015 we collected pellets of the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) in the Trøndelag region of central Norway and identified the food remains in these samples. We collected material at 45 sites with samples from a total of 76 nests. Some of the samples were from older and already abandoned nests, but at several sites we also found and collected fresh B. bubo pellets. In total 40,766 items of prey were identified from the osteological material. The most dominant food components were mammals (Mammalia, 25 species, 63.5%). The species representation of birds was very diverse (Aves, more than 150 species, 19.4%). Of amphibians (Amphibia, 1 6.8%), the well-represented species were Rana temporaria. Fish (Pisces, 0.3%) were represented rarely, while invertebrates were represented only sporadically (Invertebrata, 0.05%). A special composition was found in the diet spectra of the mammals and birds in the mountainous areas at altitudes between 220-780 m above sea level. The highest proportion of frogs was found in areas in the proximity of the mainland shore. On the northern islands located near the coast a significant proportion of the B. bubo diet consisted of rodents (Rodentia). On the more isolated southern islands of Frøya, Hitra and Storfosna the main prey was sea birds, and of the mammals there were also hedgehogs and rats.</abstract>

Comenius University in Bratislava, Botanical Garden, SK-038 15 Blatnica,

Norwegian Ornithological Society, NO-7012 Trondheim,

The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) diet in the Trøndelag region (Central Norway)

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> We examined common buzzard (Buteo buteo) feeding patterns in landscapes with different habitat structure in Belarus. A total of 561 pellets and prey remains were sampled in 1998-2012 from which 1065 prey and other food items were identified. Effects of habitat structure on buzzard diet composition were investigated using correlation analysis. The most abundant group in buzzards’ diets were small rodents (49-80% of the biomass consumed), followed by other mammals and birds. Reptiles, anurans, fish and invertebrates constituted the rest. Proportions of all food items varied greatly between landscapes. The mean-weighted body mass of vertebrate prey hunted by common buzzards in different landscapes ranged from 107 to 244 g, constituting on average 180 g. Among small rodents, voles of the genus Microtus were hunted selectively. The food niche breadth was directly proportional to the amount of forest habitat. With increasing amount of forest habitat, the proportion of Microtus voles in buzzards’ diets decreased and the proportions of other food items grew. These findings confirm the majority of previous results indicating feeding opportunism of the common buzzard. Our investigation enables better understanding of predator-prey interactions and the prey choice of the common buzzard in Belarus.</abstract>

National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources, Sector of Ecological Impact Assessment of Environment Alterations, Akademicheskaya Str. 27, BY-220072 Minsk,

Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Nature Protection, Moscow Ave. 33, BY-210038 Vitebsk,

National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Scientific and Practical Center for Biological Resources, Laboratory of Theriology, Akademicheskaya Str. 27, BY-220072 Minsk,

Landscape-related variation in the diet composition of the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) in Belarus

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> The diet of the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) was studied in Wadi Al Makhrour, Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories in 2015 with fresh and several year old pellets. Three species of arthropods, one reptile species, at least four bird species, and six species of mammals were recovered from the studied pellets. Black rat (Rattus rattus) was the most common prey (37.0%), followed by the southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor) (29.4%) and birds (21.8%). Comparison of recent and older pellets showed change in diet composition. Recent pellets contained more Rattus rattus compared to older ones. Older pellets included more naturally-occurring species such as Meriones tristrami, Microtus guentheri, and Rousettus aegyptiacus, which were absent in newer pellets.</abstract>

Department of Biology, Jordan University of Science & Technology, P.O.Box 3030, JO-22110 Irbid,

Palestine Museum of Natural History, Mar Andreas campus, Bethlehem University, PS-90907 Bethlehem,

Museum für Naturkunde, Invalidenstraße 43, DE-10115 Berlin,

Change in diet of the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) suggests decline in biodiversity in Wadi Al Makhrour, Bethlehem Governorate, Palestinian Territories

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> Foraging movements during the breeding season are a poorly studied aspect of booted eagle behaviour. We have investigated the relationship between weather and other abiotic factors and foraging behaviour, and also resource use by a female booted eagle, tagged by satellite-GPS transmitter in central Catalonia, during summer 2012 and spring 2013. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) revealed that the distance travelled from the nest was significantly related to temperature, but also to the time of day and the age of chicks. Temperature also had a significant positive influence on flight altitude and the latter on flight speed. The Resource Utilization Function (RUF) showed significant resource use in locations close to water (rivers and water bodies) and also in agricultural areas, preferably close to urban areas and rivers. On the other hand, unlike in other areas of Spain, the use of the edges between forest and agricultural areas and forest areas themselves showed negative coefficients with values not significant, perhaps related to changes in prey availability in the traditional hunting grounds.</abstract>

Cra. de Navarcles, 43, E-08251 Santpedor (Barcelona),

Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, E-30100 Murcia,

SEO/BirdLife, Área de Estudio y Seguimiento de Aves, C/. Melquíades Biencinto, 34, E- 28053 Madrid,

Factors influencing the movements during the breeding season of a female booted eagle (Aquila pennata) tagged by satellite in central Catalonia (Spain)

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> The lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) was considered extinct as a breeding species in Bulgaria, but recently a small breeding colony was found again in the south-eastern part of the country. Seven recent observations of flocks or solitary birds of the species in Bulgaria during the post-breeding period are presented and commented here. It is shown that the territory of the country is a regular area for post-breeding dispersal and pre-migratory feeding of lesser kestrels. The origin of these is not known, but most probably birds from the populations of the European part of Turkey, Greece, Republic of Macedonia and Albania are involved.</abstract>

National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Tsar Osvoboditel 1, 1000 Sofia,

Centre for conservation and support of wild fauna Durrell, Golyam Bratan 23, fl.2, ap.2, BG-1618 Sofia,

Observations of the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) in Bulgaria during the period of post-breeding dispersal

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 18 (2024): Issue 1 (March 2024)

Volume 17 (2023): Issue 1 (June 2023)

Volume 16 (2022): Issue 1 (December 2022)

Volume 15 (2021): Issue 1 (December 2021)

Volume 14 (2020): Issue 1 (December 2020)

Volume 13 (2019): Issue 1 (December 2019)

Volume 12 (2018): Issue 1 (December 2018)

Volume 11 (2017): Issue 1 (December 2017)

Volume 10 (2016): Issue 1 (December 2016)

Volume 9 (2015): Issue 1 (January 2015) Special Issue Title: International Conference on the Conservation of the Lesser Spotted Eagle, Košická Belá, Slovakia, 2014

Volume 8 (2014): Issue 2014 (January 2014) Proceedings from VII. International Conference on the Conservation of the Eastern Imperial Eagle, Bratislava, Slovakia, 2013

Volume 8 (2014): Issue 2 (December 2014)

Volume 7 (2013): Issue 2013 (January 2013)

Volume 6 (2012): Issue 2012 (January 2012)

Volume 5 (2011): Issue 2011 (January 2011)

Volume 4 (2010): Issue 2010 (January 2010)

Volume 3 (2009): Issue 2009 (January 2009)

Volume 2 (2008): Issue 2008 (January 2008)

Volume 1 (2007): Issue 2007 (January 2007)

Raptor Journal

 Journal for science, research and conservation on birds of prey and owls. Raptor Journal (formerly known as Slovak Raptor Journal) is issued generally annually and publishes original papers, reviews, short notes and other articles focusing on birds of prey and owls. All articles are published in English.   Why read  The readers can find information about all aspects of the life of raptors and owls – habitat requirements and selection, foraging ecology and diet preferences, breeding biology and nest success, postbreeding movements and migration, threats and protection, population statuses and trends etc.   Why submit   The journal has no article publication charges.  No regional limitation – journal published papers from Europe, Asia and both Americas in last years.  Fair and fast peer review.  All accepted manuscripts are published as “online first” before completing the issue.  All published articles are visible and accessible in full version.   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 