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Diet and reproduction in coastal and inland populations of the Tawny Owl Strix aluco in southern Finland

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Abstract

In generalist predators the energy needed for reproduction is derived from various prey categories, the profitability of which may vary according to the biomass or accessibility of the prey items. We examined the relationships between the diet and production of young in two Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) populations in southern Finland. We found a positive correlation between the amount of remnants of different prey in samples of litter collected from the nest bottoms after breeding and the production of young. Three important prey categories in the diet of owls during the nestling period, i.e. Water Voles, Field Voles and thrush-sized birds, seemed to be significantly related to the number of fledglings. However, only thrush-sized birds showed a significant relationship to the number of fledglings when all prey variables were analysed together in one model. The total prey mass was the best predictor of owl brood size. There were no significant local differences between the effects of different prey categories on the production of Tawny Owl young. Our results, combined with some earlier findings, outline the relationship between food supply and the production of Tawny Owl young in southern Finland. With regards to the Tawny Owl this outline can be generalized to other areas with other kinds of food supply within the distribution range of the species. Similar outlines are probably applicable also to many other generalist predators.

Zusammenfassung

Nahrung und Reproduktion von Küsten- und Inlandspopulationen des Waldkauzes Strix aluco in SüdfinnlandBei generalistischen Beutegreifern setzt sich die für die Reproduktion aufgewendete Energie aus den verschiedenen Beutekategorien zusammen, die je nach Biomasse und Verfügbarkeit der Beutestücke variieren können. Wir untersuchten die Beziehung zwischen Nahrung und Jungenproduktion in zwei Waldkauzpopulationen in Südfinnland. Wir fanden eine positive Korrelation zwischen der Anzahl an Beuteresten in Proben aus der Neststreu nach der Brut und der Jungenproduktion der Käuze. Drei bedeutende Beutekategorien in der Nahrung der Käuze während der Nestlingszeit schienen signifikant mit der Anzahl an Flügglingen zusammenzuhängen: Schermäuse, Erdmäuse und drosselgroße Vögel. Lediglich drosselgroße Vögel zeigten jedoch eine signifikante Beziehung in der Kombination mit allen Beutekategorien. Die gesamte Beutemasse erklärte die Brutgröße der Käuze am besten. Es gab keine signifikanten räumlichen Unterschiede zwischen den Effekten verschiedener Beutekategorien auf die Jungenproduktion der Käuze. In Kombination mit einigen früheren Ergebnissen liefern unsere Resultate einen Grundzusammenhang zwischen Nahrungsbereitstellung und der Produktion von jungen Waldkäuzen in Südfinnland. Innerhalb des Verbreitungsgebietes der Art kann dieser Grundzusammenhang generalisierend auf andere Gegenden mit anderen Arten der Nahrungsbereitstellung angewendet werden. Ähnliche Zusammenhänge sind außerdem vermutlich auch auf viele andere generalistischen Beutegreifer anwendbar.

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Acknowledgements

We warmly thank Kimmo af Ursin and Jari Pynnönen who helped us with the field work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Luontotutkimus Solonen Oy, Neitsytsaarentie 7b B 147, 00960, Helsinki, Finland

    Tapio Solonen

  2. 544 Fulton Avenue, Fredericton, E3A 5R4, Canada

    Jonna Karhunen

  3. Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, PO Box 65, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Jaana Kekkonen & Hannu Pietiäinen

  4. Punkantie 58, 14870, Tuulos, Finland

    Heikki Kolunen

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  1. Tapio Solonen
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  2. Jonna Karhunen
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  3. Jaana Kekkonen
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  4. Heikki Kolunen
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  5. Hannu Pietiäinen
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Correspondence to Tapio Solonen.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. All applicable institutional and/or national guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Communicated by O. Krüger.

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Solonen, T., Karhunen, J., Kekkonen, J. et al. Diet and reproduction in coastal and inland populations of the Tawny Owl Strix aluco in southern Finland. J Ornithol 158, 541–548 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-016-1405-8

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