Table 1. Details of rodent prey species, size classes and their weights (g) used in the present study

Prey size class	Rodent prey species
	Bandicota bengalensis	Millardia meltada	Tatera indica
Small weight (SW)	50-100	25-50	50-100
Medium weight (MW)	100-150	50-75	100-150
Large weight (LW)	150-200	75-100	150-200

Table 2. Relative preference of different prey species by the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) under

multiple-choice experiments (four owls tested with five trials each)

Prey species	Mean preference (%)
	Absolute	Relative	Jacobs’
Bandicota bengalensis	90.6	29.0	0.10
Millardia meltada	86.8	27.8	0.07
Tatera indica	74.9	24.0	-0.03
Mus booduga	60.0	19.2	-0.168

Table 3. Preference (percent biomass consumed) of different weight classes of prey species

by the Barn Owl T. alba

Prey species	Weight class (g)	Mean preference index (%)
		Absolute	Relative
	Small (50-100)	65.3	32.2
B. bengalensis	Medium (100-150)	89.7	44.3
	Large (150-200)	47.5	23.5
	Small (25-50)	60.0	24.9
M. meltada	Medium (50-75)	97.8	40.5
	Large (75-100)	83.4	34.6
	Small (50-100)	75.0	34.7
T. indica	Medium (100-150)	89.8	41.5
	Large (150-200)	51.5	23.8

Table 4. Variations in the percent use of different body parts of the three prey species

(when offered with three weight classes) by the Barn Owl T. alba (prey species were offered as single choice)

Prey species	Weight class (g)	Mean weight (g)	Mean percent consumed
			Entire-prey	Head and body	Head alone
	Small (50-100)	77.5	78.7	9.9	—
B. bengalensis	Medium (100-150)	135.0	—	53.5	8.9
	Large (150-200)	177.5	—	9.4	38.7
	Small (25-50)	34.2	100.0	—	—
M. meltada	Medium (50-75)	65.8	21.2	64.9	—
	Large (75-100)	100.0	—	32.6	19.9
	Small (50-100)	77.5	69.4	11.8	—
T. indica	Medium (100-150)	125.8	—	48.8	8.6
	Large (150-200)	184.2	—	8.5	37.8

Table 5. Nutrient contents (mg/g) in the brain, liver and muscle of the three weight classes of the three prey

species (horizontal lines connect similar means (Least Significant Difference (LSD) was used for comparison)

and results of two-way ANOVA show the effect of organ types and weight classes on the three nutrients levels

Prey species	Nutrient (mg/g)	Tissue	Weight class			ANOVA (df = 2)
			Small	Medium	Large	Organ		Weight class
						F	p		F	p
	Protein	Brain	51.3	62.5	72.6
		Liver	42.4	54.9	64.0	151	<0.05		125	<0.05
		Muscle	33.3	42.5	47.7
B. bengalensis	Carbohydrate	Brain	12.6	18.1	24.1
		Liver	12.7	23.0	26.5	15.0	<0.05		114	<0.05
		Muscle	11.4	16.6	22.0
	Lipid	Brain	57.0	116.9	170.4
		Liver	84.4	121.4	170.4	13.5	<0.05		93.6	<0.05
		Muscle	96.9	152.2	210.3
	Protein	Brain	18.3	36.6	53.6
		Liver	14.7	30.8	45.2	108.9	<0.05		133	<0.05
		Muscle	12.5	28.9	37.8
M. meltada	Carbohydrate	Brain	6.9	9.9	14.9
		Liver	7.7	10.8	16.2	20.0	<0.05		189	<0.05
		Muscle	5.6	8.7	13.4
	Lipid	Brain	102.6	128.2	165.3
		Liver	88.9	142.5	184.1	13.5	<0.05		209	<0.05
		Muscle	107.7	152.1	197.7
	Protein	Brain	50.4	57.5	62.9
		Liver	43.8	51.3	59.2	329.4	<0.05		144	<0.05
		Muscle	31.9	37.6	43.4
T. indica	Carbohydrate	Brain	11.0	13.8	17.7
		Liver	13.6	15.3	18.1	101.9	<0.05		137	<0.05
		Muscle	9.5	11.4	13.3
	Lipid	Brain	43.9	83.8	114.6
		Liver	79.2	103.2	129.9	252.3	<0.05		185.0	<0.05
		Muscle	118.6	153.9	184.6

Table 6. Nutrient contents (mg/g) of the brain, liver and muscle of M. booduga

Nutrient (mg/g)	Body parts
	Brain	Liver	Muscle
Protein	44.50 ± 03.70	36.10 ± 01.90	34.80 ± 01.90
Carbohydrate	07.70 ± 00.30	09.30 ± 00.40	07.30 ± 00.30
Lipid	73.70 ± 02.90	81.30 ± 03.70	107.50 ± 05.40