title: [Importance of Shaw's Jird Meriones shawii within the trophic components of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in steppic areas of Algeria].
abstract: The study of the diet of the Barn Owl in two steppic regions (M'Sila and Djelfa) located in the Algerian highlands is based on the analysis of the pellets of rejections collected in six stations. The analysis of 706 pellets resulting from the various stations made it possible to count 1380 individuals, represented by seven classes, 12 orders, 32 families, and 76 species of preys. The mammals are consumed with variable abundance rates between 59.1 % and 90.0 % whose predominance is assigned to the rodents (relative abundance: AR > 58 %). The latter constitute the most advantageous preys in biomass (61.4 ≤ B % ≤ 99.2). The most consumed prey is Meriones shawii, with variable rates between 31.9 % and 76.6 %. Generally, Tyto alba presents a diversified diet in the majority of the stations (0.69 ≤ E ≤ 0.76), except the station of Ain El-Hadjel (E = 0.35), with a low diversity and dominance of M. shawii (AR = 76.6 %).
authors: Département d'agronomie saharienne, université d'Ouargla, Ouargla, Algérie. Electronic address: sekkmakk@yahoo.fr.
authors: Makhlouf
authors: M
authors: Sekour
authors: Département d'agropastoralisme, université de Djelfa, Djelfa, Algérie.
authors: Karim
authors: K
authors: Souttou
authors: Département d'agropastoralisme, université de Djelfa, Djelfa, Algérie.
authors: Ahlem
authors: A
authors: Guerzou
authors: Laboratoire d'ornithologie, Département de zoologie, École nationale des sciences agronomique, Alger, Algérie.
authors: Noureddine
authors: N
authors: Benbouzid
authors: Département d'agronomie saharienne, université d'Ouargla, Ouargla, Algérie.
authors: Omar
authors: O
authors: Guezoul
authors: Département d'agronomie saharienne, université d'Ouargla, Ouargla, Algérie.
authors: Labed
authors: L
authors: Ababsa
authors: UMR CNRS 7205 CNRS - Mammifères & Oiseaux, département Systématique et Évolution, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, 75005 Paris, France.
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Denys
authors: Laboratoire d'ornithologie, Département de zoologie, École nationale des sciences agronomique, Alger, Algérie.
authors: Salaheddine
authors: S
authors: Doumandji
mesh_terms: D000462:Algeria; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000502:physiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012377:Rodentia; D020305:Strigiformes / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Algeria; Algérie; Diet; Meriones shawii; Pelote; Regurgitation pellets; Rodents; Régime alimentaire; Steppe; Tyo alba; Tyto alba