Comparison of Diet Analysis of Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus and Black Kite, Milvus migrans (Accipitridae: Accipitriformes) from Southern Punjab, Pakistan

The diets of Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus and Black kite Milvus migrans occupying Lal Sohanra National Park at Bahawalpur, southern Punjab were analyzed. The hawks were more diverse (euryphagous) in feeding habits with maximum feeding during summer while kites were less diverse (stenophagous) in feeding with feeding at peak during autumn. Out of 700 pellets collected from 15 nests of sparrowhawk, 920 prey items were recovered. The hawks preferred birds in their diet (449) followed by rodents (168), fish (102), frogs (67), bats (63), insects (38) and lizards (33). Whereas, 750 pellets collected from 15 nests of kites contained 900 preys items The kites preferred shrew in their diet (378) followed by birds (260), rodents (122), fish (120) and insects (120).