Breeding Diet of Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus) in Central Alberta

Abstract

Northern Saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) nest box pellet pads were collected from Beaverhill Bird Observatory between the years 2004 and 2010. Due to the work of previous individuals, 18 of 36 pellet pads that were collected have been thoroughly dissected and analyzed for skeletal remains of prey species. The purpose of this study was to continue with the dissection of the remaining pellet pads and to identify the small mammals to the most specific taxonomic level possible based on the dentition. Identification keys were used to compare and identify the cranial elements of the small prey mammals found in the pellet pad and the minimum number of individuals (MNI) was also calculated by counting the number of right and left femur bones collected. The data collected from this study is important for gaining more insight into this mysterious yet abundant owl and to also detect if the diet of the saw-whet owl can change in response to a change in the ecosystem when compared to other pellet pads in varying landscapes.

Discipline: Biology

Faculty Mentor: Mark Degner