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Diet of the Rufous‐legged Owl ( Strix rufipes , Strigiformes) in an Andean Nothofagus–Araucaria forest, southern Chile

2006; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 41; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01650520600630667

1744-5140

Ricardo Figueroa, Soraya E. S. Corales, David R. Martínez, Rodolfo M. Figueroa, Daniel González‐Acuña,

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Abstract We quantified the diet of the Rufous‐legged Owl (Strix rufipes) by analyzing 40 pellets collected during the austral autumn 2001, 2003 and 2004 in an Andean Nothofagus–Araucaria forest, southern Chile. Five small mammal species, two passerine birds, insects of two orders, four scorpions and a snail were identified in the pellets. Although insects were the most numerous prey (72.4% of all prey items), small mammals constituted most of the biomass (89.2%). The arboreal small mammals Dromiciops gliroides and Irenomys tarsalis were the most frequently consumed prey (10.4% and 6.3% of all individuals; 37.7% and 28% of total biomass, respectively). The scansorial Oligoryzomys longicaudatus accounted for almost 3% of all items and 7% of total biomass. Terrestrial small mammals accounted for only 1% of all individual prey and 3.6% of total biomass. Our results were similar to those reported for Rufous‐legged Owls inhabiting Valdivian rainforests, which suggest that this owl species is conservative in its food habits throughout the southern temperate forest, hunting mostly arboreal and scansorial small mammals. Resumen La dieta del concón (Strix rufipes) fue cuantificada sobre la base de 40 regurgitados colectados durante los otoños de 2001, 2003 y 2004 en un bosque andino de Nothofagus–Araucaria en el sur de Chile. Cinco especies de micromamíferos, dos aves paserinas, dos órdenes de insectos, cuatro escorpiones y un caracol fueron identificados en los regurgitados. Aunque los insectos fueron las presas más numerosas (72.4% de todas las presas individuales), los micromamíferos constituyeron la mayor parte de la biomasa (89.2%). Los micromamíferos arborícolas Dromiciops gliroides e Irenomys tarsalis fueron las presas más consumidas (10.4% y 6.3% de todas las presas; 37.7% y 28% de la biomasa total, respectivamente). Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, un roedor trepador, constituyó casi el 3% de todas las presas y 7% de la biomasa total. Los micromamíferos terrestres alcanzaron sólo el 1% de todas las presas y 3.6% de la biomasa total. Nuestros resultados fueron similares con aquellos documentados para concones que habitan el bosque Valdiviano del sur de Chile, sugiriendo que la especie es conservadora en sus hábitos tróficos a lo largo del bosque templado austral, cazando principalmente micromamíferos arborícolas y trepadores. Keywords: Chilediet Dromiciops gliroides Irenomys tarsalis Nothofagus–Araucaria forest Strix rufipes Acknowledgments This study was partially financed by the Chilean Forest Service (CONAF) and National Forest Office of France (ONF) through the Malleco‐Tolhuaca project "Supporting the Conservation and Sustainable Management of the Chilean Native Forest". We thank Ivan Bolivar and forest‐rangers for hospitality in the Tolhuaca National Park, and Marcelo Saavedra for his valuable support. Assistance by Alejandro Corales with rodent trappings and by Karen Ardiles and Yarela Andrade with pellet collection is deeply appreciated. This paper benefited from the comments of an anonymous reviewer.