Diet of the Burrowing Owl <i>Athene cunicularia pichinchae</i> (Strigiformes, Strigidae) at Latacunga Airport, Cotopaxi, Ecuadorian Andes

Understanding the ecology and impact of organisms on ecosystems requires information on abundance and diet. We assessed both aspects for a population of Athene cunicularia pichinchae located at the Latacunga Airport in Cotopaxi in the Ecuadorian Andes. Between September and November 2023, we conducted weekly censuses in an area of 0.4 km2 and collected complete and disaggregated pellets at each visit to determine the composition, diversity and variation in the diet of the owls. We found a high density with an average of 19 individuals in 10 burrows (mean= 1.9 individuals by burrow) clustered in grassy areas within the airport. Owls consumed prey belonging to eight orders, among which rodents accounted for almost 30% of the biomass, although there was a higher frequency of invertebrates (96%), mainly Coleoptera, including the Andean dung beetle Dichotomius cotopaxi. Other prey included Arachnida, amphibians and bats, the latter representing the seventh reported in the diet of this owl. Trophic breadth was narrow (Bsta = 0.02) indicating greater specialization, mainly on beetles Scarabaeidae compared to other Ecuadorian populations in lower elevations.