As field work for the 2013 Barn Owl breeding season winds down, the results of the monitoring of known nest sites makes for rather gloomy reading. All known sites in Co. Kerry and NW Cork (Duhallow) were monitored and/or visited during the season, often many times. Full and detailed results will be posted here soon, but a summary of results to date are as follows:
Nest productivity
Co. Kerry 2013 – Total 36 sites – 6 pairs nested – 11 chicks.
Duhallow 2013 – Total 21 sites – 3 pairs nested – 6 chicks.
(Note that Co. Kerry and Duhallow totals are not cumulative as 10 of the 21 Duhallow sites are also in east Kerry).
By far the poorest breeding season to date, and the number of chicks produced per active nest (Kerry 1.8, Duhallow 2.0) was below average. The corresponding figures for Duhallow in 2012 were:
Duhallow 2012 - Total 20 sites - 13 pairs nested - 20 chicks.
Average chicks per nest - 2.16.
A site in Kerry which shared several aspects with other Barn Owl sites around the country during the 2013 breeding season – a pair present, the nest site secure and undisturbed, but birds didn't nest. Courtship between the pair continued well into August before petering out late in the month (Photo: M.O'Clery).
The continued support of the farming community and landowners has been crucial in allowing accurate monitoring at Barn Owl sites. This female owl was one of a pair of adults at a farm in Kerry which failed to breed this year (the farm owned by Dan, pictured above). (Photo: M.O'Clery).
Nest occupancy
Of the 36 Co. Kerry sites, there was activity detected at all but one during the breeding season, and this was also true of the 21 Duhallow sites, where only one site was apparently abandoned.
At the two apparently abandoned sites, one had had no activity for at least a year, the other was apparently abandoned around April or May 2013.
Of the 30 sites in Kerry where breeding didn't take place, pairs of owls were known to be present during the summer at 15, and at least one owl was present at another 6. Recent signs of Barn Owls were found at a further 6 sites, and the status of a further 2 is yet to be determined.
Of the 18 sites in Duhallow where breeding didn't take place, pairs of owls were known to be still present at 10, at least one owl was still present at 6, and recent activity was detected at one other.
The high number of sites still occupied by Barn Owls is encouraging despite the poor breeding season.
A male and female Barn Owl caught and ringed at another site in Kerry. Although the signs were good all through the spring, they failed to breed (Photo: M.O'Clery).
Duhallow Raptor Conservation Project
The Duhallow Raptor Conservation Project is funded by IRD Duhallow through the Leader Programme 2007 - 2013.
Kerry Raptor Conservation Project
The Kerry Raptor Conservation Project is funded by NEKD through the Leader Programme 2007 - 2013.
Barn Owl monitoring in Kerry
Kerry County Council and the Heritage Council have once again given support to allow this study to continue.
