Omar Guezoul

Diet of Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus in a farmland area near Algiers, Algeria

The diet of the Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus was analysed in a recently colonised area in Meftah, south-eastern Algiers, Algeria. The diet was determined by analysing 144 pellets. Our data showed that the diet was dominated by rodents with Algerian mouse Mus spretus comprising between 61% and 77% of the diet. Based on relative biomass, rodents were the main prey species, comprising 88.1% of the diet in 2006, 68.4% in 2007 and 52.0% in 2008. Birds were the second-most important prey, comprising as much as 43.4% of the diet in 2008. The Algerian mouse was the major prey species both in spring (60.0% in 2007) and in summer (80.0% in 2006).

Diet of Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus (Pontoppidan, 1763) in desert area at Hassi El Gara (El Golea, Algeria)

AbstractThe diet of the Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus was analysed in an arid environment in Hassi El Gara located in the southeast of El Golea (Ghardaia, Algeria). The diet was determined by analysing 138 pellets. Our data showed that the diet was dominated by mammals (Chiroptera and Rodentia). Based on relative biomass, birds were the main prey species. Mammals were the second most important prey. Mammals were the major food item throughout the seasons and their contribution to the diet ranged from 50.7% in spring to 73.6% in summer. Birds were the second numerous prey with 8.1% in summer and 29.6% in spring. The dominant prey species was Myotis sp., making up 37.8%. It was followed by Gerbillus nanus (5.4%), Columba livia (4.3%) and Bufo mauritanicus (4.1%).