Post on 13-Dec-2015
Dietary Analysis of the Barn Owl
Why?Barn Owl decrease in Pennsylvania and throughout its range
1st PA Breeding Bird Atlas 1983-89
2nd atlas 2004-2008
Barn Owl aka Monkey-Faced Owl
Owl Pellets• Not poop!• Undigested bones and fur• Pellet ejection at the nest
Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus
Likely things you’ll find...
• Meadow Vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus• Masked Shrew, Sorex cinereus• Star-nosed Mole, Condylura cristata
Meadow VoleMicrotus pennsylvanicus
• Herbivore• Widespread• Active year-round,
mostly nocturnal• ~5 pups, 1-5 times
per year
Masked ShrewSorex cinereus
• Maximum size ~8 grams
• Active year round• May eat own
weight in a day
Masked Shrew
Sorex monticolus
Sorex monticolus
Star-nosed Mole
Southern Red-Backed VoleMyodes gapperi
House MouseMus musculus
White-footed MousePeromyscus leucopus
Deer MousePeromyscus maniculatus
Meadow Jumping MouseZapus hudsonius
Woodland Jumping MouseNapaeozapus insignis
Northern Short-tailed ShrewBlarina brevicauda
Masked ShrewSorex cinereus
Eastern CottontailSylvilagus floridanus
Eastern ChipmunkTamias striatus
Norway RatRattus norvegicus
European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
House SparrowPasser domesticus