Food habits of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in spiny bush habitat of arid southwestern Madagascar

The food habits of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) are relatively well documented across its Madagascar range based on pellet contents, with the exception of the arid zone of the extreme southwest. New data are presented herein to fill this void. The diet of this owl consists largely of introduced rodents and there are some marked seasonal differences in the other types of prey taken. Evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that this owl has been able to expand its distribution in the wake of human habitat disturbance and the associated trophic proliferation of non-native rodents in disturbed habitats.