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Résumé :
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In 2001 and 2002, a systematic survey of forest owls in Trnovski gozd (SW Slovenia) was carried out. In 32 survey nights, 832 point counts were made by the use of playback method. No Pygmy Owls Glaucidium passerinum were registered. On 20.28 km(2) of the surveyed area, the densities of the registered owls were, in 2001, as follows: Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus 0.5 territories/10 km(2), Tawny Owl Strix aluco 4.9 territories/10 km(2), and Ural Owl Strix uralensis 3.0 territories/10 km(2), while in 2002 the following densities were established: Tengmalm's Owl 3.0 territories/10 km(2), Tawny Owl 7.4 territories/10 km(2), and Ural Owl 3.4 territories/10 km(2). Tengmalm's Owl and Ural Owl were limited to the narrow altitudinal belt between 840 and 1230 in a.s.l., probably owing to the open and inhabited areas at lower altitudes, while Tawny Owl occurred between 140 in 1250 m a.s.l., possibly due to the suitable habitat, i.e. open areas and presence of settlements. It was established that Tengmalm's Owl occurred in places where no Tawny Owls were registered, probably due to the fact that Tawny Owl is one of the main predators of Tengmalm's Owl in Europe. Coexistance of Tengmalm's and Ural Owls was much more common. It was ascertained that coexistance of three species is also possible, although it is probably true that Tengmalm's Owl did not breed in this area and that only an unmated male was present here.
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