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Owl's House Competition 2012

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 09:33:37 +0100

How to participate:

1. Follow @OwlsHouse1 on Twitter.

2. Tweet with the sentence: “Just entered @OwlsHouse1 Competition to win X1 Spotted Eagle Owl House in-a-box only. Follow @OwlsHouse1 and re-tweet www.owlshouse.yolasite.com”

3. Like “Owl’s House” on Facebook.

4. Tag yourself in the Owl’s House Competition and comment why you’d like to win the Spotted Eagle Owl house.

Rules: Terms & Conditions

1. Competition Period:

The Competition starts 12:00:01 am on 31 August 2012 and ends 11:59:59 pm on 30 October 2012.

2. Eligibility:

The Competition is open only to legal residents of South Africa.

3. The Competition is void in all countries not listed in the rules, and where prohibited or restricted.

4. Anyone found to use multiple accounts to enter will be ineligible.

5. Multiple entries in a single day will not be accepted.

6. Prize:

(1) Spotted Eagle Owl House in-a-box : One lucky winner will be drawn on the 2 October 2012 at the end of the competition period from participants received in the competition period.

(2) Every entrant that followed the participation guidelines (followed #OwlsHouse1 and tweeted sentence with link) will receive a 10% discount on an Owl House in-a-box purchased within 2012.

(3) Every entrant that followed the participation guidelines (“liked” Owl’s House and Tagged themselves and commented below) will receive a 10% discount on an Owl House in-a-box purchased within 2012.

7. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or other consideration.

8. The Competition Winner will be responsible for all other expenditures associated with acceptance and use of the Prize not specifically mentioned here. By entering this Competition, entrants acknowledge that the Prizes will be awarded "as is" and that the Competition Entities make no warranty, guarantee or representation of any kind, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, concerning the Prize or regarding its use, value, enjoyment or installation. The Competition Winner will only WIN the cost of a Spotted Eagle Owl House in-a-box and the transport or courier costs of this prize will be at the cost of the winner.

9. Prize Collection:

Within 72 hours of the Competition End, the Competition Winners will receive a Tweet by Owl’s House and the blog will be updated announcing the winner. Failure by the Competition Winner to comply with the details and instructions provided, Owl’s House may result in forfeiture of the Prize by the Competition Winner. A photograph and all personal as well as contact information as necessary must be given to the representative of Owl’s House in-a-box that contacts the winner with their good news. This information will be held strictly private and only the winners name, surname, country of origin and the winners photograph will be post and archived on the blog, website and mentioned in the tweet.

All entrants must agree to the Terms & Conditions as laid out for the Competition above in order to be a legitimate entrant and allow the competition to comply with the South Africa legislated Consumer Protection Act of 2011 as well as International Consumer Protection and UN Suggest Consumer Protection practises.

Owl's House Leaflet

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 09:20:51 +0100

Are you a SA Raptor NPO?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:50:20 +0100

Are you a South African non-profit organisation working towards the conservation of Owls?

Owl's House support our SA Raptor NPO's! Our service includes an option to our clients to donate R50 to their chosen NPO. (Have a look at the Order Page on our website.)

Join our list of registered South African Owl Conservation NPO's

HOW?

Either OR Both:

Facebook: LIKE the page: "#[your NPO (facebook)name] support #Owl's House! http://bit.ly/w5up3B: [Include ONE Owl Fact & a cool owl photo)"

T weet: FOLLOW OwlsHouse1: "#[your NPO (twitter)name] support #OwlsHouse1! http://bit.ly/w5up3B "

We will contact you within a week, request your NPO registration number (to ensure authentication) and list you as a SA Raptor NPO on our Order Page that will enjoy the opportunity of a client selecting your NPO for a donation!

Your Testimonial

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:56:51 +0100

We'd be honored if you could share with us and fellow readers your experience of Owl's House.

Effects of climate change on owls in South Africa

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:47:52 +0100

Owl’s House is concerned about how our environment will affect owls in southern Africa. After doing some research we found that the owl – like many other bird species - faces a variety of challenges to maintain its current numbers. These birds of prey play vitally important roles in the preservation of our ecosystems and biodiversity. The high and intermediate conservation priority owl species currently include the African Grass Owl Tyto capensis, the Marsh Owl Asio capensis and the Cape Eagle-Owl Bubo capensis.

Some of the threats to owl populations include:

Spotted Eagle Owl photo by Andrew (Scotch) Macaskill

1. Habitat loss

According to Cape Nature the loss and degradation of habitat continues to be the biggest threat to avian biodiversity in the country. One of the driving forces behind this threat is the escalating human population growth and its associated impacts on the transformation of critical habitat. Important bird habitat such as indigenous forests has been degraded through logging, resulting in a loss or decline of species. These areas have been placed under the management of the South African National Parks, providing the forests and their inhabitants with better statutory protection. As a developing country, South Africa requires sustainable development to improve its economic growth. The regulated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process aims to either prevent development within sensitive areas or mitigate those aspects of development that would seriously impact on the environment.

2. Powerlines

Powerlines pose a serious threat to birds either through birds colliding with the conductors or through electrocution, while landing, perching or taking off from these structures. Eskom is fully aware of the impact that their structures have on South Africa’s birdlife and have formed a partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to monitor the problem and to develop and improve mitigation measures to reduce bird mortalities. A number of Eskom powerlines in the Western Cape are ending their lifespan and are being refurbished and re-routed around sensitive areas. The erection of powerlines above 33kV is a listed activity in terms of the environmental impact assessment regulations.

3. Roadside bird mortality

Barn Owl a Victim of Roadside Mortality by Google Images

With the increase in the number of fast-moving vehicles and the simultaneous development of road building technology, roadside bird mortality has become an increasingly important environmental issue. 554 owls of four species, namely Marsh Owls, the Red Data listed Grass Owl, Barn Owl and the Spotted Eagle Owl were collected on the stretches of the R550 and N17 roads in the rural areas between Springs and Devon in the East Rand of Gauteng Province during the period between October 2001 and September 2003. It was found that higher traffic speeds definitely having an increasingly detrimental effect on the owl mortalities. Weather conditions also play a role in mortality counts, with the mortalities being significantly negatively correlated to rainfall. Gravel roads had very low incidences of owl mortalities with the highest mortalities recorded along tarmac roads that are bordered by open grasslands or cattle grazing paddocks. Another factor influencing the road mortalities of the owls is grain that is spilled on the road during transport. This initially seemed to be the major factor in attracting granivorous rodents to the roads, and in turn, attracting the owls to prey on them.

4. Climate change

The African climate has always been changing, but the problem with current climate change is thresholds, speed and compound effects. Energy pollution is making the air hotter and richer in CO₂ than at any other time in human history – creating ‘non-analogue conditions’. Statistical evidence suggests that South Africa has been getting hotter over the past four decades, with average yearly temperatures increasing by 0.13°C per decade between 1960 and 2003. There has also been an increase in the number of warmer days and a decrease in the number of cooler ones. Recent studies for the 'Country Studies Project' predict that climate change will cause mean temperature increases in South Africa in the range of between 1°C and 3°C by the mid 21st century, with the highest increases in the most arid parts of the country. A broad reduction of rainfall in the range 5% - 10% has been predicted for the summer rainfall region. This is likely to be accompanied by an increased incidence of both drought and floods, with prolonged dry spells being followed by intense storms. A marginal increase in early winter rainfall is predicted for the winter rainfall region of the country. According to the Climate Systems Analysis Group at the University of Cape Town (UCT), depending on how much fossil fuel was burnt world-wide, up to 45 mm less rain in the Western Cape in July 2050 compared to now can be expected. Up to 50 mm more rain could fall in KwaZulu-Natal in December 2050. A rise in sea level is also predicted - perhaps by as much as 0.9m by 2100.

The rate of current climate change is abrupt and beyond many species’ ability to adapt. Changes in patterns of temperature and rainfall and the intensity and frequency of severe weather events, storms, floods, droughts and wildfires, will challenge our biodiversity. These effects threaten substantial damage to or complete loss of some unique ecosystems, and extinction of some critically endangered species. It has been projected that approximately 20 to 30% of plant and animal species assessed so far would likely be at an increasingly high risk of extinction should global mean temperatures exceed a warming of 2 to 3°C above pre-industrial temperature levels.

Birds are certainly among the most visible and evocative to us as a society, and are thus an important window into the broader changes in ecosystems. Just as the mining industry once used canaries to indicate air quality in mine shafts, the status and trends of bird populations are powerful indicators of the health of our planet.

Two organizations, the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Birds of Prey Working Group, and the Western Cape Raptor Research Programme based at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology at UCT, are monitoring and conducting research on vultures, migratory kestrels, harriers, falcons, eagles and owls to determine our environmental health. Areas with healthy and diverse ecosystems should form an important buffer from the most severe impacts of climate change. “It potentially has an impact on more localised species that require specific habitat conditions which may be affected through climate change. From an available resource perspective, we are more pressed to currently focus on the more direct anthropogenic threats owls face that has a far more substantial impact on populations of a range of species in the region,” Andre Botha, Manager of the Birds of Prey programme at the Environmental Wildlife Trust said.

According to SABAP2 at UCT’s Animal Demography Unit, climate change will impact owls in five ways:

Distribution: A species can only move if its food moves. If the climate gets warmer all the biological components on which it depends ought to move polewards.
Timing of migration: One of the realities of climate change is that the spring in Eurasia begins earlier each year and consequently the period in which food is abundant. Breeding is timed so that maximum demand by growing chicks coincides with the food flush.
Abundance: As climate changes across the range of a species, that bird is likely to become more common in some parts of its range and rarer or disappear in other parts.
Composition of bird communities will change.
Changes in size and shape: Species that stay in the same place as the climate changes, have to adapt – some have become smaller as the planet has warmed.

"This is the first evidence of Climate Change having such an effect on the Animal Kingdom"

by Victoria Gill, BBC News

Many African Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are predicted to experience a major loss of species as bird distributions change in response to a changing climate - 62% of bird species are predicted to lose climatically suitable space. The study reveals that it is likely that species will move out of the current locations of reserve networks and designated conservation areas or face local extinction. “There are numerous species whose ranges are changing markedly, and indeed some of these seem difficult to ascribe to any other cause than climate change,” said Dr Phoebe Barnard of the SANBI Climate Change and BioAdaptation Division.

The north-western and central regions of South Africa are predicted to lose all climatically suitable space for all species modelled. However, no species are predicted to go ‘extinct’, meaning that there is at least some suitable climatic space remaining under climate change for all species assessed.

“Some species such as the Spotted Eagle Owl and Barn Owl have proven to be quite adaptive and occur in a wide range of habitat, including urban areas and it may be that the impacts of climate change would not be substantial on these species as a whole. Habitat specialists such as the African Grass Owl and Pel’s Fishing Owl may however be more affected due to changing rainfall regimes and changes in the growth season of vegetation as a result of this,” Botha said. http://sabap2.adu.org.za/index.php

The impacts of climate change on owls serve as reaffirmation that drastic decrease in global carbon emissions is necessary to safeguard species. Failing that, we need protected area management and IBA design to incorporate climate change, because the geographical areas that are currently important for conservation are very likely to change.

This trend is disconcerting, as it means there are fewer opportunities for conservation as the bioclimatically suitable space for many species is condensed into an ever smaller area.

South Africa, the 3rd most biodiverse country in the world, is itself a contributor to the global climate change problem. In 1990, South Africa was responsible for about 1.2% of the total global warming effect which placed it within the top ten contributing countries in the world. The carbon dioxide equivalent emission rate per person in South Africa (about 10 tons of CO2 per person per year) is above the global average (7 tons pppy) - although this is still considerably below that of developed countries such as the United States (20 tons pppy - 1991). The burning of fossil fuels in South Africa is the primary source of this carbon dioxide.

For the sake of our owls, we each need to reduce our carbon footprint. We also need to assist these birds of prey to adapt to climate change. “Unless we reduce our current impact on many of their habitats, this will be a difficult thing to achieve,” Botha said. Helping preserve their habitats through methods such as erecting owl posts, is a step in the right direction. It’s easy to do it yourself and you can order your Owl House in-a-box here.

by Willemien Calitz
Environmental Journalist

7 Notes to take into account...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:18:46 +0100

1. Spotted Eagle Owls do not use the box as a house during the year, only when they breed. Barn Owls may use the box year round.

2. STOP the use of rodent poisons (encourage neighbours to do the same).

3. Do not attempt to lure owls to the box with food, this will only encourage other animals and deter the owl.

4. SNAKES - many dangerous snakes live on rats ! Having owls in residents, clears rats, less rats = less snakes

5. SECURITY - because of old superstitions, an owls presence may well deter potential robbers from breaking in to your house !

6. Bee proofing (Barn Owl): 100ml Jayes Fluid to 1lt water painted on all sides of interior. Does not effect the owls.

7. Line the base with gravel and top with untreated wood shavings or pine needles.

The above notes where provided by Radical Raptors and its team of specialists: Dennis Robson, Bo van der Lecq, Johnathan Hax & Garry Cassidy

Below are a few answers on questions asked about owls.

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:10:34 +0100

Q: I've seen an Owl, can you tell me what kind it is?

A: This is the gist of most of the questions I get. I would encourage you to try and find out yourself first, by visiting our South African Owl page. If you are still not sure, please send me as much information as possible. A photograph is extremely helpful. Essential information is: your country, state/region and city/town. Now, I live in South Africa and don't know every state in every country, so please do not abbreviate state names. If you don't have a photo, please be as descriptive as you can be. Things like size, eye colour, presence of ear tufts, beak colour, plumage colour and pattern help narrow down the possibilities!

Q: We have an owl visiting us now and then. I'd like to keep the Owl around, what can I do to encourage it to stay? Can I feed it?

A: The best way to encourage your Owl to stick around is to build it a house! We have an Owl's House in-a-box you can order for your convenience. We don't recommend trying to feed them.

Q: I'd like to get rid of the an Owl, what can I do to make it clear off without hurting it?

A: This is a difficult question and there is no easy answer. WESSA of BirdLife SA might be able to help. Also check out the article on The Owl Pages on Hawk and Owl damage prevention and control methods. If the Owl is caring for young, we humbly beg you to let the young leave home before you try and move the parents on.

Q: The Owl is (sick, dying, injured, abandoned, possessed)], what can I do to help it?

A: Here are a few wildlife rehabilitation centers, contact them for guidance and assistance: Endangered Wildlife Trust, Free Me, Birds of Prey, Wings in Need, Moholoholo and the Kalahari Raptor Route. Also refer to our owls rehabilitation on The Owl Pages.

Q: I took a picture of an Owl, can I send it to you to put on your site?

A: Yes, you sure can! We love to receive owl pictures from around the world. Visit the Contact page and send us your message and pictures. Also share your pictures and experiences on our facebook page.

Q: I really love Owls, can I have one as a pet?

A: The Endangered Wildlife Trust shared the following: "All owls in South Africa are protected by legislation. The conservation authorities will only issue temporary keeping permits for owls if you are a registered rehabilitation facility and normally animals may only be kept for a maximum of 6 months and must then be released. None of provinces will allow the keeping of owls as pets. The majority of wild birds and animals are not suited to being kept as pets."

Q: I already own an Owl, and am having trouble with Breeding, Incubation, Feeding, Health, Personal Hygiene, can you give me some advice?

A: No. we have no experience caring for Owls, our interest is wild Owls and their biology and natural history. If you like, you can join The Owl Pages, Owl Forum, where you will find others that share your interest.

Q: What do Owls eat?

A: Generally, Owls eat rodents, small mammals, and/or insects. Some species specialise in other food, such as fish.

Q: I have a little [ cat, dog, ferret, aardvark ] as a pet, will an Owl attack and eat it?

A: The large Bubo species will occasionally take small domesticated animals as prey when their usual supply of pesky rodents is running low. The best advice is to keep your pet indoors or caged at night. You should keep in mind that domestic pets kill many native birds and animals each year, so keeping it in at night will also save some of these lives.

Q: How come Owls have such good hearing, eyesight? Why do they have flat faces?

A: The answers to these questions and more are in The Owl Pages, Owl Physiology section.

Q: Why do Owls Hoot?

A: Firstly, you should realize that not all Owls hoot. Have a listen at the Owl Calls Gallery, and you will see just how many different sounds Owls make. Owls call for the same reason as any other critter makes noises - to communicate. A call may be territorial, thus warning others to stay away, or it can be to contact a mate or young, or advertise availability for breeding...

Q: What is a group of Owls called?

A: A group of Owls is called a parliament. This is the most popular and accepted term, but we have also heard other expressions: bazaar, brood, congress, diss, eyrie, glaring, hooting, looming, nest, sagaciousness, stare, stooping, and wisdom.
There are also more terms we've heard, such as silence (when in flight), stable (Barn Owls), jail (Barred Owls), prohibition (Barred Owls), schizpphrenia (Hawk Owls), volery (Little Owls) and blizzard (Snowy Owls).

Q: What is a baby Owl Called?

A: A baby Owl is called an Owlet. This word is also sometimes used for some of the smallest species of Owls.

Q: What is a female Owl called?

A: We are not aware of a particular word for a female Owl. We have heard the term 'hen' used, but this is a generic term for a female bird, and not specific to Owls.

Q: Do Owls hibernate?

A: No, Owls do not hibernate.

Q: What continent can't you find Owls on?

A: Antarctica

Q: Can you send me some Owl facts?

A: Probably another school project question. You are best starting your research in Wikipedia, you will find plenty interesting Owl facts there.

Q: What is the biggest or largest Owl in the world?

A: Opinions differ on this question. General consensus points towards the Eurasian Eagle Owl, which is the largest in weight and average length. Some sources say it is the Great Gray Owl, as some have quite a big overall length. It should be noted that much of the bulk of the Great Gray Owl is due to it's generous plumage. Also worth a mention is the little known Blakiston's Fish Owl which has unpublished average and maximum weights exceeding the Eurasian Eagle Owl.

Q: What is the smallest Owl in the world?

A: There are also different opinions on this question. Some sources say it is the Least Pygmy Owl, others say it is the Elf Owl. The smallest overall length measurement we are aware of was published in the Elf Owl book "North American Owls; Biology and Natural History" by Paul Johnsgard, it measured at 10.5cm.

Q: How many species of Owls are there in the world?

A: This depends on which authors and biologists you agree with. Here is a list of Owl species in BirdLife International.

Q: Hey, I e-mailed you months ago, and you never answered! What gives?

A: 1) Either your question or my answer got gobbled up by a spam filter.
2) I've lost your e-mail in my system's folders somewhere!
Please try again, use a different email account if you have one.

Got any more questions? Contact us

WINE ESTATE LAUNCHES OWL CONSERVATION PROJECT

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:11:08 +0100

Uitkyk Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch recently embarked on a new project to increase the owl population the farm, by creating suitable habitats for these birds of prey. A Biodiversity and Wine Initiative champion, the estate was one of the first in the Winelands to appreciate the value of owls in rodent control when, several years ago, it erected “owl posts” in the vineyards to facilitate their hunting process.Uitkyk is almost 600 ha in size and has over 300 ha set aside for conservation. The vineyards are located on the higher slopes, which are dissected by four deep gorges that create natural corridors between them. These corridors enable small game and predators to move freely. The estate commissioned owl specialist Lianda Naudé. She discovered evidence of both barn owls and spotted eagle owls, with Cape eagle owls higher in the mountainous areas of the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy, on which the farm borders. She said that to find more than one species of owl was proof of the healthy eco-system. Naudé believes the estate can also attract African grass owls and the indigenous Marsh owl to the farm. Rudi Buys, viticulturist and general manager of Uitkyk, says: “Our owl project is part of a programme to re-establish a balance between predator and prey on the farm. We try to use nature in a way that will, as far as possible, reduce the need for chemical interventions to protect our crops.”

November 21, 2011
Filed under Lifestyle

9 Points to consider when Positioning your Owl's House...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:20:17 +0100

1. Avoid direct sun.

2. Position the box out of any prevailing wind.

3. Have a clear flight path into the box.

4. The larger side of the box should be attached to a tree, your house, or any other suitable structure on your property.

5. Position the box at least four or five meters from ground level.

6. You should be able to access the box in order to re-locate young if they fall out of the box.

7. It is best to position the box where there is not too much vehicle or human traffic.

8. Owls favour north facing entrances.

9. Spotted Eagle Owls like nesting in exposed positions, where they can keep a watchful eye over surroundings.
It is ideal to place box where the owl would naturally nest, an open fork of a tree (Spotted Eagle owl/Barn Owl) or in a loft of a shed or on the under the eaves of a dwelling (Barn Owl)

The above points where provided by Radical Raptors and its team of specialists: Dennis Robson, Bo van der Lecq,Johnathan Hax & Garry Cassidy

A Classic Poem from the 1800's of " A Wise Old Owl"

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:05:56 +0100

"A Wise Old Owl"

"A wise old Owl

Sat on a oak.

The more he saw,

The less he spoke.

The less he spoke,

The more he heard.

Why can't we be

Like that wise old bird?"

The four-line poem “A Wise Old Owl” is cited in print from at least 1883, but is of unknown authorship. A 1904 source (below) credits “the immortal poet Bromley.”

The wise old owl (who either sits or lives in or on an oak) observes much, but doesn’t blab about it. The poem and its moral were used in World Wars I and II. The owl poem was a favorite of industrialist John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) and Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933; president from 1923-1929).

A vintage 1930's black and white illustration print from a John Martin childrens magazine of the Thirties.