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Diet of the spectacled owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata) in Zapotillo, southwestern Ecuador

Abstract:

We describe the diet of the Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata) based on the collection and analysis of pellets between 20 to 24 December 2016, from a reproductive territory located in Zapotillo, southwestern Ecuador. Mammals were the main food source of the species, accounting for 80% of the identified prey items and 94% of the biomass. Other taxonomic groups, such as amphibians, reptiles and crabs were also identified. Based on our results and the existing observations, P. perspicillata consumed a big amount of arboreal prey or those that are located at medium height within the forest. This may be due to their hunting habits, the abundance of available prey or a combination of both. Our observation is the first to document the diet of the subspecies P. perspiciliata chapmani, and increases scarce knowledge about the trophic ecology of this species.