Food habits of the Madagascar long-eared owl Asio madagascariensis in two habitats in southern Madagascar

Food remains recovered from regurgitated pellets of the Madagascar long-eared owl Asio madagascariensis were collected at two sites on Madagascar with different habitats and weather regimes. The localities are Beza Mahafaly, a sub-arid thorn scrub area in the southwest, and Bezavona Forest, a lower montane rain forest in southeastern Madagascar. At Beza Mahafaly prey composition varied according to season. Vertebrate prey included: frogs, lizards, birds, terrestrial insectivores, bats, lemurs and rodents. The total biomass of lemurs (Microcebus) represented varies from approximately 8 to 40%. Two samples from the Bezavona Forest included: frogs, geckos, birds, bats, lemurs and rodents. Lemurs (Microcebus and either Hapalemur or Avahi) made up a total biomass of 24 % at this locality. At both sites a significant proportion of the diet is composed of introduced rodents.