IVth International Conference on Dormice (Rodentia, Gliridae)13 - 16 September 1999 EDÝRNE - TURKEY |
DORMICE IN THE DIET OF OWLS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Obuch, J.
Comenius University in Bratislava, Botanical Garden, Detached Unit, 038 15 Blatnica, Slovakia, e- mail: bzuk@bb.telecom.sk
During 6 biological expeditions to Turkey, Syria, Israel and Iran, pellets of 6 owl species were collected. Dormice were found in the diet of Tyto alba, Bubo bubo, Strix aluco and Asio otus. The whole material of 30 000 prey items contained 134 individuals (0.45 %) of 8 dormice species.
The material from Israel comprises only 2 individuals of Eliomys quercinus in the diet of Tyto alba (0.05 %) and this species is almost as rare also in the diet of Tyto alba in Syria
(5 individuals). It was found also in pellets of Asio otus in Palmyra (3 individuals).
Dryomys nitedula was found in the diet of Strix aluco in forests along the coast of W Syria and S Turkey as well as in the diet of Bubo bubo in E Turkey and in Iran (Zagros Mts).
At one site in E Turkey, Dryomys laniger was found (3 individuals).
In forests of NW Turkey (lake Abant), the diet of Strix aluco consists of Glis glis and Muscardinus avellanarius.
First 2 samples with Myomimus setzeri in the diet of Bubo bubo were collected in 1992 in
E Turkey (Obuch 1994). At its third site (Ishak Pasa Sarayi) was found in 1997 and 1998. The total of Myomimus setzeri in the diet of Bubo bubo in E Turkey is 12 individuals (0.22 %). This species is present also in Bubo bubo pellet samples from higher altitudes of NW Zagros Mts in Iran where at 4 sites (province Ázarbaygán-e Garbí) 41 individuals of Myomimus setzeri were found in samples from 1998. In southern parts of Zagros Mts (province Báhtarán) and in lower altitudes, probably a new species of the genus Myomimus was found at two sites in the diet of Bubo bubo (1 individual) and Tyto alba (14 individuals). Within the Iranian part of Koppe Dagh Mts, two samples of Bubo bubo prey remnants contained 6 individuals of Myomimus personatus.
Strix aluco in the forest belt of Elborz Mts quite frequently preys on Glis glis (35 individuals, 12.5 % of the prey total).