The Little Owl is one of the most rapidly declining farmland bird species in many European countries and its distribution has become highly fragmented to the point of requiring species-specific conservation plans in some regions. Within its distributional range, the Little Owl inhabits a wide variety of landscapes, including semi-arid environments, rocky cliffs, and open woodlands, but in western and eastern Europe it is primarily associated with human-dominated agricultural landscapes. A team of researchers from several universities in the Czech Republic and Hungary recently assessed the population density of the Little Owl (Athene noctua) in traditional villages and towns surrounded by natural grasslands in the Hortobágy region (eastern Hungary).
The team found that population density of Little Owls was much higher than any previously reported in other areas. With a total of 176 calling males counted on 6.6 km2, the average population density (28.4 calling males/km2) exceeded 2–3 times the population densities reported from southern European areas with high Little Owl population densities. Moreover, these population densities were the highest reported for any owl species in Europe. In review of population densities reported for other species of owls across the world, the researchers noted that several owls of the Athene genus (A. cunicularia, A. brama, and A. noctua in particular) have high population densities, matched only by some tropical forest owl species.
“Although Little Owls have suffered drastic population declines due to agricultural intensification in many areas across central and western Europe, some traditional human settlements still seem to provide high-quality breeding and foraging habitats; Little Owls represent an example of wildlife species thriving in some urban environments” says Dr. Martin Šálek, Senior Researcher at Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences and adds “Areas with extreme densities like those found in our study are interesting and suitable for detailed ecological, behavioral, and demographic studies.”
In Owl’s Paradise: Little Owl Population Densities in Traditional Human Settlements Represent One of the Highest Densities Reported Among Owls is available at https://meridian.allenpress.com/rapt/issue/59/1
About the journal: The Journal of Raptor Research is a peer-reviewed, international journal dedicated to the dissemination of information about birds of prey, and is the official publication of the Raptor Research Foundation.
Authors: Martin Šálek, Ákos Monoki, Malavika Madhavan, S. Sangeeth Sailas , Zoe Lalonde, Pavel Linhart