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The prey of the Barn owl (Tyto alba alba) in East Norfolk
Author(s) -
BUCKLEY JOHN,
GOLDSMITH JOHN G.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
mammal review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.574
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1365-2907
pISSN - 0305-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2907.1975.tb00182.x
Subject(s) - tyto , apodemus , predation , microtus , sorex , barn owl , biology , vole , shrew , apodemus agrarius , zoology , ecology , bank vole , rodent , population , demography , sociology
Some 5000 Barn owl pellets, collected from sites in East Norfolk during the past decade, have been examined. The most important prey species, by weight, were the Field vole ( Microtus agrestis ) 52%, the Brown rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) 17%, and the Common shrew ( Sorex araneus ) 12%. The prey varies over different habitats; Wood mice ( Apodemus sylvaticus ) and Bank vole ( Clethrionomys glareolus ) forming a higher proportion in localities with hedges, scrub and woodland than in open grasslands. These results are comparable with those of other recent work. However, when compared with studies conducted over 30 years ago, it would appear that the Field vole now constitutes a higher proportion, and the Brown rat a lower proportion, of the prey taken.