Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye)

Şafak Bulut; Burak Akbaba; Zafer Ayaş

Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye)

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the feeding ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) population in Soğuksu National Park, located in Central Anatolia, Türkiye. A total of 423 pellet samples were collected in 2014 and analyzed to identify prey remains to species level. The results revealed a diet dominated by small mammals, particularly Microtus subterraneus (29.1%) and Myodes glareolus (19.8%). Parallel small mammal trapping yielded 758 individuals and was used to assess prey availability. A moderate but non-significant correlation was found between the abundance of prey and their representation in the owl’s diet (r = 0.2955), suggesting that factors beyond numerical abundance, such as accessibility and habitat structure, influence prey selection. The calculated Levin’s index (6.87) indicates a moderate dietary breadth. These findings highlight the owl’s flexible foraging strategy in mosaic forest-steppe landscapes and support its use as an ecological indicator species in protected areas such as Soğuksu National Park.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Behavioural Ecology, Population Ecology, Ornithology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Şafak Bulut ^*
Türkiye

Burak Akbaba
0000-0002-5064-1418
Türkiye

Zafer Ayaş
Türkiye

Publication Date

July 31, 2025

Submission Date

July 5, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 16, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 2 Number: 2

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Bulut, Ş., Akbaba, B., & Ayaş, Z. (2025). Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye). Hitit Journal Of Science, 2(2), 26-30. https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM

AMA

1.Bulut Ş, Akbaba B, Ayaş Z. Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye). HJS. 2025;2(2):26-30. https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM

Chicago

Bulut, Şafak, Burak Akbaba, and Zafer Ayaş. 2025. “Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix Aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye)”. Hitit Journal Of Science 2 (2): 26-30. https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM.

EndNote

Bulut Ş, Akbaba B, Ayaş Z (July 1, 2025) Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye). Hitit Journal Of Science 2 2 26–30.

IEEE

[1]Ş. Bulut, B. Akbaba, and Z. Ayaş, “Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye)”, HJS, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 26–30, July 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM

ISNAD

Bulut, Şafak - Akbaba, Burak - Ayaş, Zafer. “Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix Aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye)”. Hitit Journal Of Science 2/2 (July 1, 2025): 26-30. https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM.

JAMA

1.Bulut Ş, Akbaba B, Ayaş Z. Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye). HJS. 2025;2:26–30.

MLA

Bulut, Şafak, et al. “Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix Aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye)”. Hitit Journal Of Science, vol. 2, no. 2, July 2025, pp. 26-30, https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM.

Vancouver

1.Şafak Bulut, Burak Akbaba, Zafer Ayaş. Feeding Ecology of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) Population in Soğuksu National Park (Kızılcahamam-Ankara, Türkiye). HJS [Internet]. 2025 Jul. 1;2(2):26-30. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA39ME54SM