Genetic similarity in long-eared owl communal winter roosts: a DNA fingerprinting study

The long-eared owl is a nocturnal predator which winters communally and breeds in the same areas in loose colonies during the spring. We tested the hypothesis that roosts, particularly stable roosts, are formed by close relatives, a condition under which group-related behaviours such as information sharing or helping at nest are more likely to be developed. DNA fingerprinting analysis was used to examine genetic similarity within and between two long-eared owl populations, one wintering in a traditional roost and the other in an unstable roost, and both breeding around their roosting sites. Although genetic similarity within roosts was higher than that between roosts, the difference was not significant. Observed genetic similarity within roosts was smaller than that reported in the bird species whose roosts work as information centres. On the other hand, the presence of some closely related individuals in the roost and behavioural observations suggest that co-operation between kin might have occurred, at least in one of the two study sites.     

Niche partitioning of avian predators in northern grasslands amended by biosolids

Many food webs are affected by bottom‐up nutrient addition, as additional biomass or productivity at a given trophic level can support more consumers. In turn, when prey are abundant, predators may converge on the same diets rather than partitioning food resources. Here, we examine the diets and habitat use of predatory and omnivorous birds in response to biosolids amendment of northern grasslands used as grazing range for cattle in British Columbia, Canada. From an ecosystem management perspective, we test whether dietary convergence occurred and whether birds preferentially used the pastures with biosolids. Biosolids treatments increased Orthoptera densities and our work occurred during a vole (Microtus spp.) population peak, so both types of prey were abundant. American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) consumed both small mammals and Orthoptera. Short‐eared Owls (Asio flammeus) and Long‐eared owls (Asio otus) primarily ate voles (>97% of biomass consumed) as did Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius, 88% vole biomass). Despite high dietary overlap, these species had minimal spatial overlap, and Short‐eared Owls strongly preferred pastures amended with biosolids. Common Ravens (Corvus corax), Black‐billed Magpies (Pica hudsonia), and American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) consumed Orthoptera, Coleoptera, vegetation, and only a few small mammals; crows avoided pastures with biosolids. Thus, when both insect and mammalian prey were abundant, corvids maintained omnivorous diets, whereas owls and Harriers specialized on voles. Spatial patterns were more complex, as birds were likely responding to prey abundance, vegetation structure, and other birds in this consumer guild.     

乌鲁木齐市区越冬期长耳鸮的食性分析

2009～2011年间,利用食团分析法对乌鲁木齐市越冬长耳鸮(Asio otus)的食性进行分析。3年累计收集长耳鸮食团683份,辨认出1 132只猎物。分析结果表明,长耳鸮在冬季共捕食小型哺乳类6种,鸟类2种。小家鼠(Mus musculus)是最常见的食物,占总捕食量的53.45%。小型哺乳类是长耳鸮的主要食物,它在食物组成中出现的总频率为88.16%,以生物量计,小型哺乳类占食物构成的95.13%。长耳鸮的食物组成年度间差异显著,与当地猎物资源多样性和可获得性密切相关,表明长耳鸮可能采用机会主义者的捕食策略。     

The complete mitochondrial genomes sequences of Asio flammeus and Asio otus and comparative analysis

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as a model sys-tem, has been extensively used for molecular phy-logenetic and evolutionary analysis[1]. With the ad-vances in DNA sequencing technology, more andmore researchers prefer to use complete mitochondrialgenome for phylogenetic analysis[2—4]. Since the com-plete sequencing of human mtDNA in 1981 (Andersonet al., 1981)[5], 342 vertebrate mitochondrial genomeshave so far been sequenced. Up to now the completesequences of 29 avian mitochondrial genomes h…     

Diet of a nesting pair of Long-eared Owls,Asio otus,in an urban environment in southwestern Turkey (Aves: Strigidae)

Pellets were collected under an active Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) nest in the city centre of Denizli, Turkey. The nest was located in a conifer tree in a 5.7 ha urban park, centrally-located in the city of Denizli, with a human population of 577,000 people. During April-June 2014, a total of 64 pellets containing remains of 86 individual prey items was found. All prey were Passeriformes and consisted of two species belonging to Passeridae and Hirundinidae. 78 of the 86 prey items (90.7%) were House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the other eight (9.3%) were House Martin (Delichon urbicum). This is one of the first studies to indicate that the Long-eared Owl's nesting season diet consists entirely of birds. The main factor affecting this result is probably the fact that the owls live in an urbanised setting.     

大(狂鸟)和长耳鸮的部分血液生理生化指标及血细胞的显微结构观察

为了解大（狂鸟）（Buteohemilasius）、长耳鸮（Asiootus）的血象、血液生理生化参数正常值及血细胞的形态特征,为其健康检测和保护提供参考资料,采用纽巴氏法、沙利氏比色法、离心法、瑞士染色等方法检测了大（狂鸟）和长耳鸮的血象,利用全自动血液生物化学分析仪测定了两种鸟的19项血液生化指标,利用生物显微技术对其血细胞进行观察。结果表明：大（狂鸟）的红细胞数量、红细胞压积、红细胞分布宽度、血红蛋白含量、平均血红蛋白浓度、嗜酸性粒细胞数量、淋巴细胞数量、白细胞数量及凝血细胞数量均高于长耳鸮,而其他指标均低于长耳鸮;其中,红细胞平均体积在两种鸟类间存在极显著性差异（P〈0.01）,其他均无显著性差异（P〉0.05）。在生理生化检测中,大（狂鸟）的谷草转氨酶、总蛋白含量、白蛋白含量、球蛋白含量、总胆固醇、甘油三酯和葡萄糖含量均高于长耳鸮,且大（狂鸟）的无机离子中的钠和氯离子浓度也高于长耳鸮,而其他指标均低于长耳鸮,其中谷丙转氨酶和肌酐具有极显著性差异（P〈0.01）,尿酸和葡萄糖具有显著性差异（P〈0.05）,其他指标均无显著性差异（P〉0.05）。大（狂鸟）和长耳鸮的血细胞形态相似。种属不同及生活习性的差异可能是导致这两种鸟类血液生理常值差别及显微结构差异的主要原因,而采样时的机体状况、营养状况及测试操作方法也有一定的影响。     

纵纹腹小、鵰及长耳的卵壳超微结构研究（形目：鸱科）

本文首次报道纵纹腹小、、长耳卵壳的气孔、木栅层、锥体层、乳锥体、壳膜、基底帽等结构的扫描电镜观察,并对不同种类进行分析,初步探讨了它们的分类价值和生态意义。     

南充高坪机场短耳 鸮 越冬期的食性分析和习性观察

2006年3～5月,收集南充高坪机场草地和周围松林越冬期短耳鸮(Asio flammeus)的食团,进行食性分析。在805个完整食团和一些零碎的食团中,小型兽类是短耳食物组成的主要成分,占98.4%,其中四川短尾(Anourosorex squamipes)所占比例最高,为97.2%。通过调查短耳鸮的食团在南充高坪机场草地里的分布情况,分析短耳v在机场草地的栖息地选择,发现短耳鸮并没有选择草高和密集的区域作为栖息场所,而高20cm左右的白茅(Imperata cylindrical)丛是短耳最喜欢栖息的场所。