SMALL OWLS IN RELATION TO HABITAT STRUCTURE: OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL SCREECH-OWL (MEGASCOPS CHOLIBA) AND FERRUGINOUS PYGMYOWL (GLAUCIDIUM BRASILIANUM) IN THE MOUNTAIN FORESTS OF CENTRAL ARGENTINA

AGOSTINA SILVIA JUNCOSA; FRANCIS MERLO; VALENTIN ZARATE; MIGUEL FERNANDO CURA

El Hornero

Asociación Ornitológica del Plata

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2020 vol. 35 p. 87 - 93

0073-3407

Owls are top predators poorly studied in the Neotropics. Their occurrences can be affected by foreststructure and landscape features. We report Tropical Screech-Owl (Megascops choliba) and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) detections in relation to habitat characteristics in central Argentina. During the spring of 2019, we surveyed 250 ha of mountain forest, measured habitat characteristics in presences/absences sites, and estimated owls? densities. M. choliba (0.16 individuals/ha) was positively associated with snag whereas G. brasilianum (0.05 individuals/ha) was positively associated with proportions of small trees. Our results suggest that these habitat characteristics might be important covariates when studying these two species