Did you know, young owls instinctively leave their parental nests and move into a different area?
The desire of young owls to replicate the breeding site where they were raised when they too reach breeding maturity is known as natal recognition. Every year prior to owl breeding season, young first-time breeder owls are on the lookout for nesting sites and, in the case of owl-box-raised individuals, they will be looking for boxes of their own.
EcoSolutions has been installing and maintaining owl boxes across South Africa for over 15 years and has noticed a sharp increase in owl box occupancy and owl populations in urban areas.
The urban environment has a tremendous carrying capacity for owls, due to the abundant food source such as rodents. The only limiting factor that prevents owls from increasing their numbers in the urban environment, is the shortage of suitable roosting and nesting sites.
By installing more owl boxes every year, more urban habitat is made available, increasing owl populations in human settlements. EcoSolutions strives to establish and promote healthy, thriving owl populations within the urban environment to suppress rodent numbers and eliminate the need for the use of poison.
Send through your neighbourhood owl photos to ashtynm@caxton.co.za
By Eco Solutions
-
-
-
-
