Diets of owls and feral cats in Hawaii

Author:

Snetsinger, Thomas J., Fancy, Steven G., Simon, John C., Jacobi, James D.

Title:

Diets of owls and feral cats in Hawaii

Periodical:

Elepaio

Year:

1994

Volume:

54

Pages:

47-50

Subject:

Felis catus Feral cats Owls Birds Predatory animals Rats Mice

Summary:

While three species of introduced rodents -- the black or roof rat, (Rattus rattus), the polynesian rat (R. exulans) and the Norway rat, (R. norvegicus), as well as the introduced Indian Mongoose, (Hespestes auropunctatus), and the feral house cat, (Felis catus), have all been documented as important predators on native Hawaiian birds such as the endangered Palila, (Loxioides bailleui), it was found that native birds are also preyed upon by three species of raptors -- the Hawaiian Short-eared Owl or Pueo, (Asio flammneus sandwichensis), the introduced Common Barn Owl, (Tyto alba), and the Hawaiian Hawk or Io, (Buteo solitarius). As a result, cat scats from the island of Hawaii, Pueo pellets from the island of Hawaii, Kauai, and Kahoolawe, and Barn Owl pellets from the islands of Hawaii, Oahu and Kahoolawe were examined in this study to determine the incidence of rodent, bird, and insect remains in the diets of these predators. While it was found that rodents were the main prey of cats, Pueo, and Ban Owls, the incidence of bird remains in the diets of all three predator species was high relative to studies conducted elsewhere in the world.

Label:

Animals

Date:

1994

Collection:

Periodicals