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Animal behaviour

Use of dung as a tool by burrowing owls

Nature volume 431, page 39 (2004)Cite this article

This bird distributes animal dung in and around its burrow to provide a bait for its prey.

Abstract

Reports of tool usage by birds tend to be anecdotal as only a few individuals may be involved1 and the behaviour observed can often be interpreted in other ways2,3. Here we describe the widespread collection of mammalian dung by burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) and show that they use this dung as a bait to attract dung beetles, a major item of prey. Our controlled investigation provides an unambiguous estimate of the importance of tool use in a wild animal4.

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Figure 1

R. G. Wolff

Figure 2: Number of dung beetles consumed by burrowing owls in the presence (blue) and absence (orange) of cow dung positioned at their burrows.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, PO Box 118525, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611-8525, Florida, USA

    Douglas J. Levey

  2. Division of Science and Mathematics, Birmingham-Southern College, Box 549022, Birmingham, 35254, Alabama, USA

    R. Scot Duncan

  3. 107 North El Centro Boulevard, Panama City Beach, 32413, Florida, USA

    Carrie F. Levins

Authors
  1. Douglas J. Levey
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  2. R. Scot Duncan
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  3. Carrie F. Levins
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Douglas J. Levey.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Levey, D., Duncan, R. & Levins, C. Use of dung as a tool by burrowing owls. Nature 431, 39 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/431039a

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