Invertebrate-biased diet of burrowing owls in a newly-restored coastal grassland
Abstrak
Recovering biodiversity across trophic levels is a major challenge in restoration ecology. Specifically, predator population recovery depends on the timely re-establishment of their preferred prey species in restored habitats. Here, we evaluate potential dietary factors contributing to the loss of western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea (Bonaparte, 1825)) from a newly-restored coastal grassland. We examined owl pellets and found that burrowing owl diets were relatively low in vertebrate prey during their brief occupation of the restoration site (2.6% of prey items; found in 61.8% of sampled pellets). We suggest that preferred food limitation may have been one contributor to the loss of owls from the restoration site. These findings suggest the need to prioritise re-establishment of prey communities for effective long-term recovery of burrowing owls in restored landscapes.
Topik & Kata Kunci
Penulis (5)
Madeleine M. Ostwald
Kyra Sullivan
Lisa Stratton
Alison Rickard
Katja C. Seltmann
Akses Cepat
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- 2024
- Sumber Database
- DOAJ
- DOI
- 10.3897/natureconservation.56.127231
- Akses
- Open Access ✓