Conservation & Ecology


Birds of Prey


Wooing the birds!


John O’Gaunt greenkeeper and ecologist, Steve Thompson, looks at three birds of prey that, with a bit of good fortune and careful planning, you should be able to attract to your course


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Suddenly, your senses are awoken by a familiar sound, probably one of the most familiar in the British countryside - too-wit too-woo too- wit too-woo


n my last article, I talked about the barn owl, probably one of the UK’s most recognisable birds of prey, and mentioned some of the things you can do to help. One of those was to supply


boxes to offer a safe home for this wonderful bird, but there are other birds of prey that use boxes too and you might just have some of these on your golf course.


TAWNY OWL


Imagine taking a stroll through your local woodland one evening in springtime or autumn. It may be on the golf course or a local park. It’s a dark, clear night and not a creature is stirring. Then, suddenly, your senses are awoken by a familiar sound, probably one of the most familiar in the British countryside - too-wit too-woo too-wit too-woo. It is, of course, the tawny owl and, if you


are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of one as it flies across a path or from tree to tree. But it is not one bird that is calling, it is in fact two; a male and female calling to each other - the female goes too-wit and the male too-woo. They are generally heard in the spring during the breeding season and again from August after the adults have finished moulting during June and July. The tawny owl (or brown owl) is the most


common owl in the UK and is widely distributed throughout, only being absent from some of the islands off the north and west of Scotland, the Isles of Scilly and Ireland. It has recently been added to the amber list of species of conservation concern after some contraction of its range. It is a woodland owl, so anywhere there


are trees you will probably hear one. Tawnies are very sedentary, they do not migrate and do not really move far once they have become established. They are very territorial and will defend a complete territory against a rival; there’s certainly no overlapping here. They are quite a powerful bird and, with power, often comes aggression. Famous bird photographer and naturalist Eric Hosking was returning to a hide one evening (in 1937) when a tawny struck and penetrated his left eye. The resulting infection meant choosing between losing one eye or probably going blind. The eye was removed and the ensuing publicity appeared in all the national newspapers, where his photographs were already in great demand. As soon as he was fit, he returned to the hide to continue taking pictures! The tawny owl will eat almost anything,


not just what you might expect it to. Small mammals feature quite heavily in its diet, but also rats, worms, invertebrates such as beetles, small birds and even frogs. Having such a wide variety in its diet is good for its chicks and ensures a better survival rate. It is a cavity nester and, being a woodland


owl, can be found nesting in holes in mature trees, but can also utilise old crows nests or boxes (which could be perceived as replicating a tree cavity). It is a single brooded bird, nesting in early spring and usually laying eggs in March or April, but has been known to lay as early as January. It will usually lay 2-3 eggs with the female incubating them for around thirty days before hatching. One very important thing to mention is that tawny owl chicks will leave the nest before they can fly, if you find one


PC APRIL/MAY 2017 I 101


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