Barn Owl Project
WANTED
Do you have a Barn Owl living in a barn or building on your property or do you
know of anyone who does? The Victoria Natural History Society (VNHS) is undertaking
a Barn Owl Inventory and Nest Box Project in the Greater Victoria area.
The Barn Owl is intricately linked with humans and, as its name implies, readily
nests and roosts in human-made structures. This owl colonized the south coast
of British Columbia in the early 1900's, most likely in response to the clearing
of forests for agriculture. Many of these agricultural areas have been subsequently
lost to urbanisation (removal of old building and barns) and changing agricultural
practices have also negatively impacted this species, for these reasons the
Barn Owl is currently ranked by the BC Conservation Data Centre as a Blue-listed
(vulnerable) species, and nationally this western population is designated of
"special concern" by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife
in Canada
Within the Greater Victoria the distribution and numbers of this owl are poorly
understood. This is why the VNHS is asking for your help in locating existing
nest sites and finding suitable locations for new Barn Owl nest boxes. If you
know of Barn Owl nests (active or not) or roosting sites, or for more information
on the inventory and nest box project, please click here
|
