Diet of Long-eared Owl and Common Kestrel in an urban landscape (Ukraine)

Abstract In the present study we performed a comparative dietary analysis of two predatory birds, Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) and Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) in district Lviv city. We found that are typical small mammal specialists within urban ecosystem. Considering abundance biomass prey, mammals comprise 98.4% Owl’s diet. The species composition coincides almost 50% food intake comparison birds. It has been established main prey both is Vole (Microtus arvalis) . diet more varied, compared to Owl, due consumption different insects (families Gryllotalpidae, Tettigoniidae, Carabidae Scarabaeidae), reptiles This result suggested plasticity facilitate successful adaptation landscape. narrowly specialized feeding on murine rodents, which reduces trophic competition between birds allows coexistence predators