The Accipiter - Research September 2006

Research - October 2007

This month, Amy gives us an interim report on this year's batch of Tawny Owls.

It’s been that time of year when the radio tracking equipment gets put to good use on a daily basis. Yes we’ve been tracking juvenile Tawny owls again.

Cho

This year the Trust received nearly 30 young Tawny owls, brought in by members of the public or rescue organisations. Like in previous years they have either been fostered (if they are very young) or they have been put together in a crèche aviary. They receive little human contact whilst at the Trust, ensuring they do not become imprinted.

Dudley

Since 2005 twenty-one juvenile Tawny owls have been released back to the wild and their progress monitored. This year funds allowed thirteen radio tags to be attached to the owls. Again the project is being run in conjunction with the RSPCA, which means we can collaborate the results for analysis.

Before their release all the owls including those that were released without radio tags were BTO ringed. The lucky thirteen (or maybe unlucky – having us follow them around) were released on the 7th August at 2 locations. Most were released on the same estate as in the previous 2 years and a couple were released on new estate not far away.

Harry

The owls are doing well and all have dispersed from their initial release sites although sadly we have had 1 casualty. This was Ron, who’s body was seen on the railway line near to where he had made home for a number of days. Although this fatality was unfortunate, the cause of death was not due to the methods of rehabilitation.

Mcgonagal

Many of the other owls, including Dudley, Lily, and McGonagal, have settled in one area. Dudley and Lily and some of the other owls have chosen areas on the edges of woodlands or in large hedgerows surrounded by farmland. This pattern of choosing edge habitats has occurred in the previous 2 years, the owls often choosing the exact same places.

To date we have found 3 radio tags that have come off the owls, and have one stuck up in a tree! Although the fate of these owls remains unknown we can only assume that they are thriving out in the wild.

Some of the owls have ventured further a field. Ginny travelled nearly 3 miles north of her release site, Harry and Snape moved approximately 1 mile, whilst the remaining owls’ locations have hardly changed.

We will continue to track the owls for as long as possible and monitor their progress.

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