Observaciones sobre la dieta de la lechuza de los campanarios en la Quebrada de los Burros (dpto. Tacna, Perú)

The analysis of pellets belonging to a barn owl (Tyto alba) provided a good idea of the diversity and abundance of vertebrates which had been consumed in a southernmost Peruvian coast locality. It appears that the raptor feeds on at least two species of rodents, one of bird and two of lizards. The ingestion by the owl of at least 1848 g of small vertebrate biomass leaded to the formation and regurgitation of 10 pellets. The results indicate that (in terms of biomass) rodents represent the main food item (72.95 %) among the collection of pellets analysed. The presence of lizard remains suggests the hypothesis that the predatory behaviour of the barn owl is not only nocturnal but also diurnal .