We report an exceptional case of Eurasian Eagle Owls Bubo bubo feeding on Stag Beetles Lucanus cervus in Germany, with the beetles making up 56.9% of all prey individuals. A review of literature and a comparison of data reveal that both the number and the biomass of the consumed beetles are typically too low to be of any nutritional importance with respect to the Eurasian Eagle Owl's broad food spectrum. Therefore, we conclude that Eurasian Eagle Owls merely opportunistically fed on this only seasonally available food source and that juvenile owls might prey on these beetles during their hunting exercises.
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30 July 2021
Eurasian Eagle Owls Bubo bubo Opportunistically Prey on Stag Beetles Lucanus cervus
Matthias Overmann,
Till Töpfer
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Ornithological Science
Vol. 20 • No. 2
July 2021
Vol. 20 • No. 2
July 2021
biomass
Coleoptera
pellets
predation
Strigiformes