Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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Khaleghizadeh A., Arbabi T., Noori G., Javidkar M. & Shahriari A. (2009) Diet of wintering Long-eared Owls Asio otus in Zabol, Southeastern Iran. ARDEA 97 (4): 631-633
We examined 250 pellets of Long-eared Owls Asio otus in 2006 and 2007 from winter roost sites in southeastern Iran. In contrast to the diet of wintering owls (e.g. mainly small mammals) reported elsewhere in the world, the diet of wintering Long-eared Owls at Zabol was predominantely larger rodents (c. 150 g). Specifically, big-size rodents, including the Indian Gerbil Tatera indica, and a Bandikoot Rat Nesokia indica made up 72.9% of the total biomass in the diet of the owls at Zabol. In addition to small mammal and bird species found in Long-eared Owl pellets from other regions, we found Meriones spp. and Gerbillus spp. (both are types of Gerbils) that, thus far, had not been reported in the diet of this owl.


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