Cavity-tree use and frequency of response to playback by the Tropical Screech-Owl in logged piedmont forests of northwestern Argentina

SCHAAF ALEJANDRO; TALLEI EVER; POLITI NATALIA; RIVERA LUIS

Neotropical Biology and Conservation

Unisinos

Año: 2019 vol. 14 p. 99 - 107

2236-3777

The Tropical Screech-Owl (Megascops choliba) is a nocturnal raptor with a widedistribution across the Neotropics, which uses cavity trees as nesting and roosting sites. Ourobjectives were to address cavity use by the Tropical Screech-Owl in the piedmont forest ofArgentina and to evaluate if logging affects the availability of suitable cavities for nesting androosting and the frequency of response of the species to playback. The Tropical Screech-Owlused trees with DBH values > 46 cm of three tree species (69% in Calycophyllummultiflorum, 15% in Phyllostylon rhamnoides, and 8% in Cedrela angustifolia), besidesstanding dead trees (8%). The density of suitable cavities was significantly lower in loggedforests than in the control site. The frequency of response of the species to playback wassignificantly lower at one logged site. Our results can contribute to delineate sustainable forestmanagement to ensure the conservation of this owl in logged forest.