Diet and Hunting Range of Wintering Long-Eared Owls (Asio otus) Depend on Land Use
Journal: Biology
Year: 2026

Long-eared Owls (<i>Asio otus</i>) overwinter in groups, mainly on coniferous trees in human settlements. These owls regurgitate the indigestible parts of their prey as pellets. Analysis of pellet contents provides valuable information on diet composition and reflects the characteristics of the hunting area. We assumed that prey availability for owls is influenced by the extent of built-up areas and by the distribution of habitats around the roosting site. In the winter of 2016/2017, we collecte