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Prey Ecology of the Burrowing Owl Athene Cunicularia Cunicularia (Molina, 1782) on the Northern Coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil

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Prey Ecology of the Burrowing Owl Athene Cunicularia Cunicularia (Molina, 1782) on the Northern Coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/nnfe20 Prey ecology of the burrowing owl Athene cunicularia cunicularia (Molina, 1782) on the northern coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil Alana Drielle Rocha , J. O. Branco & G. H. C. Barrilli To cite this article: Alana Drielle Rocha , J. O. Branco & G. H. C. Barrilli (2021): Prey ecology of the burrowing owl Athenecuniculariacunicularia (Molina, 1782) on the northern coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil, Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/01650521.2020.1867953 Published online: 13 Jan 2021. Submit your article to this journal View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=nnfe20 STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT https://doi.org/10.1080/01650521.2020.1867953 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Prey ecology of the burrowing owl Athene cunicularia cunicularia (Molina, 1782) on the northern coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil Alana Drielle Rocha a, J. O. Branco b and G. H. C. Barrilli a aDepartment of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil; bSchool of the Sea, Science and Technology, Vale do Itajaí University, Itajaí, Brazil ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY We analyzed the diet of Athene cunicularia cunicularia in order to identify and compare prey items Received 14 August 2020 in dune populations in Santa Catarina, Brazil: Interpraias (INT), Praia Brava (BRA), Praia Central Accepted 20 December 2020 (NAV) and Peninsula (BVE). Due to the characteristics of urbanization in these regions, we hypothesized that there would be greater abundance and consumption of urban insect pests KEYWORDS Burrowing owl; dunes; diet; in the areas of BRA, NAV, and INT than in BVE. We collect owl pellets monthly in 2017. The non- pellets; prey parametric analysis ANOVA was applied to identify differences in pellet weights and niche amplitude between populations and seasons and PERMANOVA was applied to identify differ­ ences between prey items. Were collected 1064 pellets containing 20 prey items, including: invertebrates (Arachnida, Insecta and Crustacea Malacostraca – 83%), vertebrates (Osteichthyes, amphibians, Reptilia, birds and Mammalia – 8.6%), seeds (6.38%) and miscellaneous materials of anthropic origin (0.19%). There was no difference in the pellet weights, but the diets observed in INT and BRA were significantly different, a result that may be a reflection of the microenviron­ ments in which the burrowing owl lives. This shows that, in addition to a generalist diet, this species has the capacity to adapt to urban changes. Introduction et al. 2017), as well as allowing adaptation to niche The northern coast of Santa Catarina, a state in southern available among predators (Sick 1997; Odum & Brazil, is experiencing increasing urban occupation, Barrett 2007). It is a generalist and opportunistic spe­ induced by tourism in coastal areas (Santos Júnior & cies with a broad trophic spectrum (Motta-Junior et al. Pereira 2011) and port expansion in the port of Itajaí 2004; Santos et al. 2017; Roque-Vásquez et al. 2018). It (Mallas 2009), which impact beach and dune ecosystems expels undigested remains of prey, known as pellets, in (Mendes 2008). These environments harbor high diver­ the perch and areas near the burrows, and these are sity of invertebrate animals (Branco et al. 2010; Heusi- important in the identification of their diet (Sick 1997), Silveira et al. 2012) and small vertebrates (Rocha & Van and an important feature for noninvasive studies of Sluys 2007; Kunz et al. 2011; Grose & Cremer 2015). their diet. Among the animals that inhabit these ecosystems is Studies of trophic ecology, such as of top predators, the burrowing owl. Athene cunicularia (Molina 1782) is provide relevant information for the analysis of niche an important top predator. It reaches about 25 cm in amplitude, foraging behavior, seasonal prey fluctua­ length (Bonney 2007) and has a body mass between tions and energy demand (Emlen 1966; Krebs 1989; 144 and 205 g (Sick 1997; Baladrón et al. 2015). It has a Develey & Peres 2000), as well as changes in the local wide geographical distribution, occurring from Canada community, which can help in developing strategies for to Argentina, and in most of Brazil, except in the the management and conservation of degraded areas northwestern portion of the country (Avibase 2019). (Primack & Rodrigues 2001). As predators, owls are Athene cunicularia builds its burrows in open environ­ essential in the trophic relationships of the environ­ ments with natural or modified ground vegetation, ments in which they live (Funess & Greenwood 1983; such as cerrado (Brazilian tropical savanna eco-region), Ricklefs 2003), showing, when present, variations in the pastures, wastelands and coastal sand dunes (Sick local community and ecological relationships, acting in 1997). Such preference for open environments may controlling small rodents and invertebrates as insects favor hunting and protection of the lair (Rebolo-Ifrán (Motta-Junior & Alho 2000). CONTACT Alana Drielle Rocha [email protected] © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group Published online 13 Jan 2021 2 A. D. ROCHA ET AL. Although burrowing owl is commonly found in the with shrubbery almost all along, with habitations and dunes of southeastern Brazil, its diet is little known, commercial businesses nearby and artificial night lighting although some studies were carried out in southeast in some places. Brava Beach (BRA) has approximately Brazil by Vieira and Teixeira (2008) and in the south 9.1 ha (Itajaí, 26°56ʹ49.72ʺS, 48°37ʹ44.25ʺW) and has by Soares et al. (1992), Zilio (2006) and Branco et al. ground vegetation in the dune strip, with habitations (2010). Thus, the present study aims at an inventory and hotels very close to the dune strip, having artificial and comparison of the diet of A. cunicularia cunicu­ lighting along almost all its extent. Navegantes Central laria in four dune regions of the central north coast of Beach (NAV) has approximately 28 ha (Navegantes, 26° Santa Catarina. The chosen areas undergo increasing 53ʹ22.33ʺS, 48°38ʹ31.47ʺW) and is the longest beach in the urban occupation, at different levels, with housing con­ current study, with habitations, commercial businesses struction increasingly closer to the dune regions, lever­ and artificial night lighting very close to dunes, and it aged by the port activity and tourism of the region in has some areas with shrub and others with undergrowth. high season (Santos Júnior & Pereira 2011). Barra Velha Peninsula Beach (BVE) (Barra Velha, 26° Due to the different levels of human occupation in 35ʹ14.00ʺS, 48°40ʹ5.64ʺW) has approximately 17.4 ha, the study areas, with NAV, BRA, and INT more with the presence of shrub and undergrowth, a greater similar to each other in terms of urbanization than distance among inhabited regions, and some parts with­ BVE, we investigated whether these differences can out artificial lighting near the dunes. The BRA, NAV and influence the diet of the burrowing owls present on INT areas are more similar to each other in terms of the coast. First, the content of the pellet was analyzed urbanization than BVE, with the former having larger to determine if the degree of urbanization had an populations, development indexes and tourism effect on the meristics of the pellets. We hypothesized (SEBRAE 2013). that weight would be related to the abundance of prey items provided by the environment. Next, analysis of the niche amplitude, i.e. amplitude in the distribution Pellet analysis of the species along the sampled environmental gra­ dients, was performed according to location to find For material collections, the SISBIO (Authorization out whether or not the owl shows any feeding pre­ and Information System on Biodiversity) authorization ference according to changing resource availability number 56557–4 was issued. The pellets were collected throughout the year. We hypothesized that the use at the same time of the month on all beaches from of resource may have a cyclical characteristic, with January to December 2017. Twenty sites with active less variety in the winter months. Finally, prey items burrows were found throughout the study, which were were categorized by location and season to find out if inspected for pellet collected during the day. Entire there were any preferred items. We hypothesize that pellets were selected and stored in plastic bags labeled features may vary, but there would be preferences with location and collection date, with a minimum of depending on local availability. We assume that dif­ 10 pellets per site. ferent levels of urbanization influence these In the laboratory the pellets were dehumidified in an resources, e.g. due to the presence of urban pests. oven at 50°C for 48 hours, then weighed on a weighing scale (precision 0.01 g). They were then immersed in NaOH (10%) solution for six hours, sieved, rinsed in Material and methods running water, left in 10% volume hydrogen peroxide solution, rinsed again and placed in the oven for drying Areas of study at 50°C for four hours (Granzinolli & Motta-Junior A total of four dune regions located in the central-north 2008) for further screening. coast of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil (Figure 1) were Prey items were separated under a stereoscopic sampled. The climate of the regions is Cfa type accord­ microscope (Stemi DV4 Stereo Microscope, Carl ing to the Köppen climate classification, i.e. temperate Zeiss, Germany 32×) into morphospecies categories hot and humid, rainfall throughout the year and average and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level, temperatures ranging from 20 to 22°C (Alvares et al. with the help of specialized bibliographies, reference 2013). Coastal vegetation in the study areas is composed collections and expert consultation (Laboratory of of remnants of the Atlantic Forest, grass, and typical Environmental Sciences, Professor of Invertebrates – restinga plants (Klein & Rodriguez 1978; Marenzi 2006).
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