Pellet analyses of wintering Short-Eared Owl (Asio flammeus) in Central Israel

This study investigates the dietary habits of the Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) in central Israel, highlighting its reliance on rodent populations, particularly Günther's vole (Microtus guentheri), as a primary food source. In 260 pellets, we identified 385 individual prey items, with mammals constituting 98.2% of the diet, underscoring the owl's almost exclusive dependence on these small mammals for sustenance. The average weight of the analyzed pellets was 3.3 grams (+ 1.11 SD), with a significant majority of the biomass derived from rodent prey. Our findings reveal that the Short-eared Owl exhibits opportunistic breeding behaviors, migrating in response to prey availability and occasionally breeding outside its known range when conditions are favorable.