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Description
The aim of the project is to preserve, strengthen and stabilize the critically endangered Barn Owl population in the target region, in the form of active nesting support of its population, implementation of project management measures including site monitoring and acoustic monitoring, with emphasis on educational activities between target groups and elimination of mortality factors of the Barn Owl (dangerous technical traps in nesting sites).
Summary of project results
Our project focused on the protection, nesting support, and thorough monitoring of the critically endangered barn owl, which has experienced a dramatic decline in population in recent years. This fascinating nocturnal creature, known for its silent flight and striking white plumage, has become a victim of the gradual loss of traditional nesting sites, such as old farm buildings and sacred structures. These spaces, once widely used, are now often being renovated, demolished, or sealed off, leaving the owls without their natural refuges.
Throughout the project, we discovered that the issues facing the barn owl run much deeper. A combination of negative factors, such as the intensification of agriculture, the use of pesticides, and landscape changes, make the barn owl not only a critically endangered species but also a sensitive indicator of the overall health of our agricultural landscape. As a result, the barn owl has become a flagship species, meaning that its protection helps safeguard a broader range of endangered species and ecosystems. Our main goal was to actively protect and support the nesting of barn owls, involving the wider community in these efforts. Through this approach, we succeeded not only in creating suitable nesting conditions but also in raising awareness about the need to protect this rare species and the importance of biodiversity in our landscape. We carried out the project directly in environments where the barn owl naturally occurs and nests, and where it faces numerous threats. Thanks to our efforts, we were able to significantly mitigate some of these threats.
Our project is an excellent example of how human activity, when properly directed, can contribute to nature conservation and the preservation of unique species that are an integral part of our natural heritage.
Between 2021 and 2023, we carried out the following activities:
Acoustic monitoring of the barn owl: We conducted recordings at 646 monitoring points, exceeding our original goal of 600 points. We successfully detected barn owls at 143 of these locations.
Habitat management: Over the years, we managed 472 sites where barn owls are known to occur. We also produced and installed 16 nesting boxes. Additionally, we monitored hazardous technical traps on agricultural farms and took steps to eliminate them.
Educational materials: We created an illustrated memory game titled "Our Owls" with a print run of 500 copies for our target groups.
Awareness activities: We conducted outreach activities among the project''s target groups, particularly the agricultural community, and distributed promotional materials.
These efforts significantly contributed to the protection and nesting support of the critically endangered barn owl.
We recorded the nesting of 107 barn owl pairs, with an average of 33% of the population nesting for a second time in the same year. The nesting pairs successfully raised a total of 691 barn owl chicks. We regularly found signs of activity and also documented 57 nestings of non-target species.