DIET OF MEXICAN SPOTTED OWLS IN CHIHUAHUA AND AGUASCALIENTES, MEXICO

We analyzed pellets of Mexican Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis lucida ) collected at roost and nest sites in Chihuahua from 1992-94, and Agu ascalientes, Mexico from 1994-95 to determine diet composition. We ide ntified 647 prey items from 13 owl territories iii Chihuahua and four owl territories in Aguascalientes. Vertebrates constituted 64% of all prey items and 99% of total prey biomass. Woodrats (Neotoma spp.), mic e (Peromyscus spp.) and cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) com prised 82% of total prey biomass in Chihuahua and 89% of total prey bi omass in Aguascalientes.