INVESTIGADORES
BERKUNSKY Igor
artículos
Título:
Field notes on the breeding biology and diet of ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) in the dry Chaco of Argentina
Autor/es:
CARRERA, JOAQUÍN D.; FERNANDEZ, FERNANDO; KACOLIRIS, FEDERICO PABLO; PAGANO, LUIS; BERKUNSKY, IGOR
Revista:
ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL
Editorial:
NEOTROPICAL ORNITHOLOGICAL SOC
Referencias:
Año: 2008 vol. 19 p. 315 - 319
ISSN:
1075-4377
Resumen:
Although 10 Pygmy-Owl species occur in South America, only one species has had a detailed dietary study. We present observations on the breeding success and diet of three nesting attempts of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) in northern Argentina. We monitored three breeding attempts, two at nest 1 in 2004 and 2005, and one at nest 2 in 2006. Owls started laying during the second half of October; modal clutch size was 5 eggs. Hatching success was between 50 to 80%. All nests were successful and all chicks survived, resulting in 3.3 fledglings per nest. The total nesting period was between 52 and 58 days Fledging occurred between 10 and 20 December. We collected 70 prey items and identified 21 prey species. Birds were the most common prey item (43%), followed by insects (29%), reptiles (16%) and mammals (13%). Cream-bellied Thrush (Turdus amaurochalinus) was the most common bird prey and Lava lizard (Tropidurus spinulosus) was the most common reptile prey. Prey body mass ranged from 12.5 to 225.0 g. Our data suggests that the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls we studied were generalist predators that fed primarily on birds and arboreal lizards.