Be owl friendly

BECAUSE owls are one of nature’s best pest controllers, they need to be protected so they can keep up this good work for us.

Here are some of the ways to protect the large-eyed bird, which many cultures connect with bad luck and witchcraft. * Before cutting down a tree or a shrub, look for nests first.Never pick up a baby owl, as some baby owls leave the nest before they can fly, but remain at the nest site where their parents can look after them.* Time pest-control operations so that they do not coincide with the breeding period of owls, and remove and bury poisoned dead animals.* Build a nest box to attract barn owls in your area, which should be 4 000 mm wide by 5 000 mm and 350 – 4000 mm high.The nest box should be placed in a shaded, quiet place.This information is contained in a booklet entitled ‘The Owls Of Namibia – Identification and General Information’, developed by the Namibia Animal Rehabilitation, Research and Education Centre (Narrec).The book says there are about 9 000 species of birds in the world and less than 150 of these are owls.In Africa, there are 45 owl species, 11 of which are found in Namibia.The Namibian owls species came from two families: 10 species from the family Strigidae and only one (the barn owl) from the family Tytonidae.Because homes, agricultural crops, food stores and gardens attract pests such a mice, rats, insects and seed-eating birds, owls are useful to people because they eat these pests, which are a nuisance to people.”Owls are useful in that they prey on these pests and therefore help control them,” says the booklet.However, like other wild animals, owls are threatened by pollution of the environment, which can poison and kill their food resources.* Before cutting down a tree or a shrub, look for nests first.Never pick up a baby owl, as some baby owls leave the nest before they can fly, but remain at the nest site where their parents can look after them.* Time pest-control operations so that they do not coincide with the breeding period of owls, and remove and bury poisoned dead animals.* Build a nest box to attract barn owls in your area, which should be 4 000 mm wide by 5 000 mm and 350 – 4000 mm high.The nest box should be placed in a shaded, quiet place.This information is contained in a booklet entitled ‘The Owls Of Namibia – Identification and General Information’, developed by the Namibia Animal Rehabilitation, Research and Education Centre (Narrec).The book says there are about 9 000 species of birds in the world and less than 150 of these are owls.In Africa, there are 45 owl species, 11 of which are found in Namibia.The Namibian owls species came from two families: 10 species from the family Strigidae and only one (the barn owl) from the family Tytonidae.Because homes, agricultural crops, food stores and gardens attract pests such a mice, rats, insects and seed-eating birds, owls are useful to people because they eat these pests, which are a nuisance to people.”Owls are useful in that they prey on these pests and therefore help control them,” says the booklet.However, like other wild animals, owls are threatened by pollution of the environment, which can poison and kill their food resources.