Prey selection by the Barn Owl Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769) in captivity

Prey selection by the Barn Owl Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769) in captivity

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We investigated prey selection of the glitter foam vellen action Barn Owl Tyto alba under captive conditions where birds were allowed to choose among individuals of varying size from four field rodent species: Bandicota bengalensis, Millardia meltada, Tatera indica and Mus booduga.Owls showed little species preference and a tendency to favour the medium weight class in all prey species except M.booduga.Preference for body parts consumed varied according to prey size, ranging from the head alone in the large weight class to the entire body in the small weight class.

Biochemical measurements showed that protein, carbohydrate and lipid levels were higher respectively in the brain, liver and muscles of all three species and weight classes studied.The preference for medium weight prey despite a lower nutrient content compared to large weight prey bolso yerse is attributed to a greater ease of capture.