scholarly journals Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) and Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) breeding records in managed boreal forests

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-131
Author(s):  
Zoltan Domahidi ◽  
Scott E. Nielsen ◽  
Erin M. Bayne ◽  
John R. Spence
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Breeding Parameters ◽  
Aegolius Funereus ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention ◽  
Aegolius Acadicus ◽  
Boreal Owl

During the 2016 breeding season we monitored 169 nest boxes suitable for Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) and Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) in high-latitude (>55°N) boreal forests of northwestern Alberta affected by partial logging. Despite the large number of boxes deployed, the number of boxes used by Boreal and Northern Saw-whet Owls was small. Boreal Owls used nest boxes (n = 4) in conifer-dominated stands with three being in uncut blocks and the other in a 50% green tree retention cut-block. In contrast, Northern Saw-whet Owls used boxes (n = 4) in a broader range of cover types, breeding in boxes placed in stands with at least 20% post-harvest tree retention. Although both species successfully bred in the same landscape, Boreal Owls produced fewer eggs (mean = 2.5) and raised fewer young (mean = 0.5) than Northern Saw-whet Owls (5 and 2.25, respectively). Furthermore, our observed Boreal Owl egg production was lower than has been found for the same species nesting in nest boxes in different regions or forest types. In contrast, breeding parameters of Northern Saw-whet Owls were similar to that found in nest boxes in the eastern boreal region of Canada and in the southern part of its range.

Immediate tree uprooting after retention-felling in a coniferous boreal forest in Fennoscandia

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 3167-3172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harri Hautala ◽  
Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa
Keyword(s):  
Forest Type ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention ◽  
Coniferous Boreal Forest ◽  
Tree Uprooting ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Continuum

We studied the immediate effects of retention-felling on the occurrence of tree uprooting in two different types of boreal spruce forest in Finland to determine whether susceptibility to uprooting is dependent on the biotope. During the first post-treatment year, 7.1% of the trees in the paludified forest type and 1.8% in the upland forest type were uprooted. During the 2 following post-treatment years, uprooting percentages increased considerably (39.3% in the paludified type and 11.5% in the upland type in year 2; 48.3% in the paludified type and 15.2% in the upland type in year 3). Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), the dominant species in both forest types, was the species most susceptible to uprooting. The high uprooting rate in the paludified groups was probably caused by an interaction between the rocky ground and moist overlying peat layer with the shallow root system of P. abies. As paludified forest biotopes are generally recognized to have high biodiversity, the use of green-tree retention in these biotypes may enhance the continuum and survival of sensitive species. Moreover, because of the high level of uprooting, green-tree retention in paludified forest types can quickly and more naturally help restore levels of coarse woody debris.

scholarly journals Win – and stay, but not too long: cavity selection by Boreal Owls to minimize nest predation by Pine Marten

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geir A. Sonerud
Keyword(s):  
Nest Predation ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Pine Marten ◽  
Aegolius Funereus ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Boreal Owl

AbstractSite fidelity after successful nesting and site shift after nest predation (win–stay, lose–shift) is a well-documented adaptation to spatially heterogeneous and temporally auto-correlated predation risk. However, site shift even after a successful nesting (win–shift) may become a better tactic than site fidelity (win–stay), if a successful nest site becomes more risky until the next nesting opportunity, and if new low-risk nest sites regularly appear. Correspondingly, selecting a new non-used nest site may become a better tactic than selecting one previously used successfully by a conspecific. I studied this dynamic by focusing on nest cavities that may be available for many years, and using nest boxes to allow an experimental design. At localities where Boreal Owls (Aegolius funereus) had nested successfully, a dyad of nest boxes was made available each year, one box in the original nest tree and one in a new tree for the season, each containing either old nest material from the successful nesting or new wood shavings. Boreal owls were more likely to select the box in the new tree when more years had elapsed since the successful nesting and since a box was installed in the original nest tree, independent of box content. The pattern of selection differed between young and old individuals for males, but not females. Young males based their selection of nest tree mainly on box content, while old males based it on time elapsed since the successful nesting in the original nest tree and how long a box had been present there. The probability of depredation of Boreal Owl nests by Pine Marten (Martes martes) has previously been found to increase with cavity age and number of nesting seasons elapsed since the previous successful nesting. This pattern of nest predation thus predicted the pattern of nest site selection found.

scholarly journals Modelling distribution and potential overlap between Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus and Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius: implications for management and monitoring plans

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATTIA BRAMBILLA ◽  
ENRICO BASSI ◽  
VALENTINA BERGERO ◽  
FABIO CASALE ◽  
MARCO CHEMOLLO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Distribution ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Entropy Method ◽  
Model Management ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Aegolius Funereus ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Boreal Owl

SummaryCorrelative species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly widespread in the conservation literature. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including addressing practical conservation tasks on the basis of a spatially explicit assessment of environmental suitability for target taxa, which in turn allows for a transparent evaluation of needs and opportunities. Here we used the maximum entropy method (by means of the software MaxEnt) to model distribution of the rare Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus and the Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, which excavates the nest-holes used by the owl for breeding. We believe that monitoring surveys for Boreal Owl should consider areas suitable for both species as priority sites, whereas the provision of nest-boxes for the owl may be particularly desirable in habitat patches that are suitable for that species but not for the keystone species whose nest-holes represent the usual nest site for the owl. Finally, areas suitable for both species can represent priority areas for the conservation of forest birds in the Alps, as both species have been reported as umbrella and/or keystone species. Our example provides a possible framework to model management and monitoring opportunities in other species or species pairs, but such an approach can be used to infer the need for particular management options when both limiting factors and species distribution can be spatially modelled, and also to model the areas where different target species are more likely to overlap and interact. The use of distribution models as tools to address practical conservation tasks should also be encouraged in order to accomplish practical tasks according to sound knowledge and transparent methods.

scholarly journals High Connectivity and Minimal Genetic Structure Among North American Boreal Owl (Aegolius Funereus) Populations, Regardless of Habitat Matrix

The Auk ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 690-704
Author(s):  
Marni E. Koopman ◽  
Gregory D. Hayward ◽  
David B. McDonald
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Structure ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
High Plains ◽  
Aegolius Funereus ◽  
Mature Forest ◽  
High Connectivity ◽  
Boreal Owl ◽  
Mature Stands

Abstract Habitat connectivity and corridors are often assumed to be critical for the persistence of patchily distributed populations, but empirical evidence for this assumption is scarce. We assessed the importance of connectivity among habitat patches for dispersal by a mature-forest obligate, the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus). Boreal Owls demonstrated a lack of genetic structure (θ = 0.004 ± 0.002 [SE]) among subpopulations, regardless of matrix type and extent, which indicates that unforested matrix does not act as a barrier to dispersal for this vagile species. We found only slightly higher genetic distances (Cavalli-Sforza chord distances ranged from 0.015 to 0.025) among patchily distributed Rocky Mountain subpopulations as compared with largely contiguous boreal-forest subpopulations (0.013 to 0.019) and no evidence of a genetic split across the expansive high plains of Wyoming. Even the most isolated subalpine patches are connected via gene flow. As northern boreal forests continue to experience intensive harvest of mature stands, geographic dispersion of Boreal Owl habitat may begin to more closely resemble that found in the Rocky Mountains. We suggest that decreased connectivity poses much less of a threat to continued abundance of this mature-forest obligate than overall loss of nesting and foraging habitat. Assessment of the importance of corridors and connectivity should be conducted on a species-by-species basis, given the variation in response of species to discontinuity of habitat, even among closely related taxa or guilds. Alta Conectividad y Estructura Genética Mínima entre Poblaciones Norteamericanas de Aegolius funereus, Independientemente de la Matriz del Hábitat

Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Hayward ◽  
P. H. Hayward
Keyword(s):  
Aegolius Funereus ◽  
Boreal Owl

scholarly journals Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl Otus cyprius Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1775
Author(s):  
Savvas Iezekiel ◽  
Reuven Yosef ◽  
Constantinos Themistokleus ◽  
Dimitrios E. Bakaloudis ◽  
Christos G. Vlachos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Artificial Nests ◽  
Breeding Parameters ◽  
Island Endemic ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Old Trees

As is well-known, endemic island bird species are especially vulnerable to extinction from anthropogenic environmental change and reduced fitness compared with mainland taxa. The Cyprus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius, is a recently recognized island endemic species whose ecology and breeding biology have not been studied. It nests mainly in holes in trees and buildings, so the felling of old trees, modern architectural practices, and the renovation of old houses in villages may reduce nest site availability. Its population trend is also unknown. Therefore, to better determine its ecological requirements and habitat preferences we placed nest boxes in rural areas adjacent to the forest, in the forest, and in the ecotone between them, and used breeding success as our indicator of habitat suitability. We found that breeding parameters like laying date, clutch size, length of the incubation period, hatching day, hatching success, and number of nestlings did not differ between the three habitats. Despite the low level of nest box occupancy rate (5–11%) the endemic Cyprus Scops Owl readily breeds in artificial nests. Therefore, although we are unaware of any current threats to the Cyprus Scops Owl, we recommend that its conservation be prioritized, including studies, monitoring, habitat conservation, and the provision of nest boxes.

Green Tree Retention in Fennoscandian Forestry

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (sup003) ◽  
pp. 79-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa ◽  
Jyrki Jalonen
Keyword(s):  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention
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