TROPHIC ECOLOGY OF TWO RAPTORS, BARN OWL (TYTO ALBA) AND WHITE-TAILED KITE (ELANUS LEUCURUS), AND POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF HANTAVIRUS RESERVOIR IN CHILE

dc.creatorMunoz Pedreros, Andres
dc.creatorGil, Claudia
dc.creatorYanez, Jose
dc.creatorRau, Jaime R.
dc.creatorMoeller, Patricia
dc.date2016
dc.date2021-04-30T16:46:59Z
dc.date2021-04-30T16:46:59Z
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-14T22:03:50Z
dc.date.available2021-06-14T22:03:50Z
dc.identifierWILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY,Vol.128,391-403,2016
dc.identifierhttp://repositoriodigital.uct.cl/handle/10925/3454
dc.identifier.urihttp://repositorioslatinoamericanos.uchile.cl/handle/2250/3299679
dc.descriptionRaptors are important predators of various species of small mammals, which renders them of economic importance since their prey may be either disease vectors or reservoirs which represent health problems, or economically important through the damage they cause to crops and stocks. The long-tailed rice rat Oligoryzomys longicaudatus is a reservoir and vector of Hantavirus, a disease of increasing importance in various Latin American countries. The nocturnal Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and the diurnal White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) appear to be the most significant predators of this species. Here, we characterize the diet of these two raptors and analyze their trophic specialization and dietary selectivity using published information, pellet analysis, and field abundances of small mammals. Both raptor species positively selected O. longicaudatus in their diets to suggest that they could be potential controllers of the Hantavirus reservoir in Chile, both in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Predation on O. longicaudatus by these two raptors is interesting because they have complementary activity periods, a condition which enables them to share the same prey without having strong interference.
dc.languageen
dc.publisherWILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOC
dc.sourceWILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
dc.subjectbirds of prey
dc.subjectdiurnal and nocturnal raptors
dc.subjectElanus leucurus
dc.subjectOligoryzomys longicaudatus
dc.subjectTyto alba
dc.titleTROPHIC ECOLOGY OF TWO RAPTORS, BARN OWL (TYTO ALBA) AND WHITE-TAILED KITE (ELANUS LEUCURUS), AND POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF HANTAVIRUS RESERVOIR IN CHILE
dc.typeArticle


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