陕西省歧山地区纵纹腹小鸮的食性研究

文章报道了纵纹腹小鸮在陕西省,歧山县京当地区的捕食行为及其在不同季节的食性变化.它在冬季(1—2月)主要活动于晚上.繁殖期活动时间延长,并越来越接近昼行性.在食物组成上,也有明显的季节性和地区性差异.冬季在取食频次上以鼠类为主,占整个猎物出现频次的66.7%(其中大仓鼠Cricetulus triton占25.6%),昆虫类仅占20.5%;繁殖前期(3—5月)鼠类占34.5%,昆虫类 62%;繁殖后期(6一8月)食鼠占2.47%;食昆虫占96,9%.在同一生境内,它与大型鸮类——雕鸮BuboO bubo的营养生态位发生部分重叠(重叠指数C为0.324),只是前者偏食小型鼠类和昆虫,而后者们食大、中型啮齿类.在不同地区和生境下表现出与地区的食源丰富程度有关.在饲养过程中,发现它取食一些植物果实,剖胃时也发现胃内偶有植物枝叶,同时,我们还观察到,小鸮在野外或饲养情况下,有食同类尸体的现象,但并未发现其活体相残.

A STUDY ON DIET OF THE LITTLE OWL (ATHENE NOETUA PLUMIPES) IN QISHAN, SHAANXI PROVINCE, CHINA

This paper reports the feeding behavior and food spectrum in different seasons of the Little Owl (Athene noctua plumipes) from 1992 to 1993 in Qishan, Shaanxi Province. During the overwintering period, the Little Owls are active at night, especially at dusk and dawn when they feed mainly on rats, which occupies 66.7% of the total numbers of the food taken. Of the rats Cricetulus triton is the commonest, occupying 25.6%. During the breeding period, on the countrary, more insects are taken ranging from 34.5% to 96.9% of the total amount of the prey consumed. The diet of the Little Owls are also greatly affected by the large-sized coun-terparts, such as Bubo bubo competing for the same food (Overlap index of the trophic niche is 0.324). The former tends to prey on insects and small rats, while the latter prefers the large-sized or medium-sized rats. The Little Owls are found to eat some fruits. Sometimes, tender leavies or branches are also found in their stomachs. They are also found to devour corpses instead of living bodies of their partners in the field or in rearing.