Diet of the Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata) in Zapotillo, southwestern Ecuador

Resumen

We describe the diet of the Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata) based on the collection and analysis of pellets between 20 to 24 December 2016, from a reproductive territory located in Zapotillo, southwestern Ecuador. Mammals were the main food source of the species, accounting for 80% of the identified prey items and 94% of the biomass. Other taxonomic groups, such as amphibians, reptiles and crabs were also identified. Based on our results and the existing observations, P. perspicillata consumed a big amount of arboreal prey or those that are located at medium height within the forest. This may be due to their hunting habits, the abundance of available prey or a combination of both. Our observation is the first to document the diet of the subspecies P. perspiciliata chapmani, and increases scarce knowledge about the trophic ecology of this species.