Behavioral Responses of Wild Rodents to Owl Calls in an Austral Temperate Forest

摘要: Ecologically based rodent management strategies are arising as a sustainable approach to control, allowing us preserve biodiversity while safeguarding human economic activities. Despite predator signals being known generally repel rodents, few field-based studies have compared the behavioral effects of several predators on different prey species, especially in Neotropical ecosystems. Here, we used camera traps study behavior species native Chilean temperate forest (Abrothrix spp., long-tailed pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) and an introduced (black Rattus rattus). Using playbacks raptor calls, experimentally exposed rodents three predation risk treatments: austral owl calls (Glaucidium nana), rufous-legged (Strix rufipes) control treatment (absence calls). We evaluated treatments time allocated behaviors: feeding time, locomotor activity vigilance. Moonlight vegetation cover were also considered analyses, they can modify perceived risk. Results showed that environmental factors modified depending not only but species. Consequently, could be regarded promising tool, knowing future would critical deeply understand differences between order select most effective cues.