Notes on the Diet of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in New South Wales

Abstract

The diet of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in New South Wales was examined by the analysis of pellets (2 sites, n = 9), pellet material (2 sites), and the stomach contents of owls found dead on roads (10 sites, n = 10) and away from roads (5 sites, n = 6). The introduced House Mouse Mus domesticus was by far the predominant prey item, although a small bat Vespadelus sp., native and introduced rats Rattus spp., dasyurid marsupials Planigale, Sminthopsis and Antichinus spp., a juvenile Cat Felis catus, birds and invertebrates were represented. The stomachs of owls found dead away from roads were empty; autopsies of those owls suggested poisoning by anticoagulant rodenticides.