The Barn Owl Monitoring Programme: Establishing a Protocol to Assess Temporal and Spatial Variation in Productivity at a National Scale

Ardea

C.J. Barimore²  H.Q.P. Crick³  C.R. Shawyer¹  D.I. Leech² 

[1] 2 Wildlife Conservation Partnership, 2 Mill Walk, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8DT, UK;1 British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK;1 British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK 3 Natural England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8DR, UK

关键词: United Kingdom;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Nederlandse Ornithologische Unie/Netherlands Ornithological Union

【 摘 要 】

OnceregardedasBritain'smostabundantowlspecies,BarnOwlTytoalbanumbersdeclinedsubstantiallyfrom1850to1950.Whilemorerecentsurveyssuggestthatnumbersmaynowhavestabilized,breedingrangedeclinesandthespecies'unfavourableEuropeanconservationstatushaveresultedinitsinclusionontheBirdsofConservationConcernAmberList.Asexistingschemeswerenotsuitedtomonitoringtheabundanceoflowdensity,nocturnalspecies,theBarnOwlMonitoringProgramme(BOMP)wasestablishedbytheBritishTrustforOrnithologyin2000,assistedbytheWildlifeConservationPartnership.UnderBOMPmethodology,approximately600potentialbreedingsites(c.10%ofthenationalpopulation)locatedthroughouttheBritishIslesarevisitedbyvolunteerobserverseachyearwhorecordowloccupancyandproductivity.Thesedataareusedtoassesslong-termtrends,andtheresultsfromthefirstsixyearsofdatacollection(2000–05)arepresentedinthispaper.Asexpected,giventheshorttime-spanofdatacollection,therewasnostrongevidenceforasignificanttemporaltrendineitheroccupancyorproductivity.Habitattypeappearstoplayasignificantroleindeterminingbothoccupancyratesandproductivity.Agreaterproportionofsitesinareasofnaturalorsemi-naturalgrasslandwereoccupiedbyBarnOwlsandbroodsproducedatthesesitesweresignificantlylargerthanthoseproducedinpastoralorarablehabitats.Areasofroughgrasslandarelikelytosupportgreaternumbersofsmallmammals,particularlyvolesMicrotusspp.,providingmorefoodforadultsandnestlings.Therewassomeevidencetosuggestthatoccupancyrateswerehighertowardsthewesternpartofthecountry,possiblyduetothemilderwinterconditionsintheseareas.

【 授权许可】

Unknown