• Climate
    • Climate Change
    • Extreme Weather
    • Mitigation
    • Natural Phenomena
  • Green Living
    • Buildings
    • Farming
    • Food and Drink
    • Holidays
    • Home & Garden
    • Natural Health
    • Personal Journey
    • Shopping
  • Resources
    • Finance
    • Water
      • Fresh Water
      • Oceans
    • Energy
    • Trees
    • Waste
      • Composting
      • Pollution
      • Recycling
      • Reduction
      • Repurpose
      • Reuse
  • Biodiversity
    • Air
    • Water
    • Land
  • Innovation
    • Creativity
    • Design
      • Green Building
    • Science
  • Community
    • Civil Society Work
    • Climate Express
    • Eco Communities
    • Faith communities
    • Gatherings
      • Awards
      • Conferences
      • Expo
    • Green Jobs
    • Vulnerable People
  • Responsibility
    • Calls to Action
    • Business
      • Corporate
      • SME’s
    • Governance
      • Cities & Towns
      • Governments
      • Policy Development
    • Individual
  • Training
    • Books
    • Courses
    • DVD’s & Films
    • Youth
      • Bursaries
      • Challenges
      • Competitions
      • Internships
      • Mentorships
      • Schools

The Green Times

Climate change is the most widespread & complex problem humanity has ever faced! There is no time to waste and we need to turn green talk into profound green action. This is the intention of the GREEN TIMES.

You are here: Home / Articles / Biodiversity / Save the owls, help your garden

Save the owls, help your garden

October 11, 2012 2 Comments

save-the-owls-help-your-gardenI just love falling asleep to the hoo-hoo emanating from our forested front garden. They love the huge and untrimmed trees and probably the healthy supply of elephant shrew that reside amongst the shrubs and hide beneath the ivy. But these wise and helpful creatures are threatened in several ways, with humans at the source of them all. We have encroached on their natural terrain and diminished the quality of their breeding, feeding and living habitats.

Possibly the most rapidly growing threat, though, is rat poison. Highly toxic poisons used to kill vermin end up killing owls too. A significant number of owls also die while hunting insects or mice on roads at night – it is thought that the birds are stunned by the oncoming headlights. The Endangered Wildlife Trust has a project dedicated to monitoring owl deaths and injury on roads and on roadside fences across South Africa.

Owls are important pest controllers in the natural ecosystem and eat vast numbers of rodents and insects. A spotted eagle owl will catch up to four rats per night, while a pair of barn owls will kill 50 field mice per night if there is an oversupply. Barn owls have shared an evolutionary path with rodents and are possibly the best rodent controllers known to humans. They can regulate their breeding to match the size of the rodent population.

green pest control at its best

When owls are around there is no need to use dangerous pesticides, which is a boon for gardeners, farmers, and the health of the environment.

owl box

Owl boxes (above) are now being used in various settings from townships to farms. Humans benefit through rodent control, and owls get safe sanctuary and a good food source – a true win-win arrangement.

Several organizations sell owl nesting boxes to attract owls into areas where rodents are a problem. Of course the boxes are also used in suburban gardens to attract owls for their beautiful sound and presence as much as for pest control.

The box is essentially a simple wooden construction, with a slightly different design for spotted eagle owls and barn owls ‘ the former prefers a more open-sided structure from which to scan the environment, while barn owls like the box to be closed with just a small opening for entry. In both cases the box has a roof and a landing perch.

a better alternative to poisons

In some regions such as the Overberg in the Western Cape, wheat farmers have reduced rodent infestation by introducing owl boxes and perches in their fields. Factories, grain storage areas and timber companies have had similar successes, and rodenticide use in timber plantations has been eliminated. Nesting boxes are therefore a system that benefits both humans and owls.

Another tremendous success story has been the Township Owl Box Project. This was in response to repeated calls from the community for a solution to the problem of vermin in the townships and the hazard to children of using rat poison.

owl face

Schools were selected as the best sites for introduction of barn owls as the children’s lunch waste provides food for vermin which in turn ensures prey for owls; the fields are quiet at night; and the grounds can be managed without use of rat poison. Community education is a critical factor in the project as in African mythology the owl has a dreadful reputation. Community support has been excellent and there are currently 50 schools involved in the project in Gauteng.

Owl boxes are made by Richard Morris through Monoceros Trading. For a great pamphlet on owl boxes, how to use them and where they can be purchased, click here.

More that you may like:

The key to winter veggies
Marathon highlights focus on conservation in Africa
Campaign launched for threatened species
Becoming a Change Maker

Share this:

  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pinterest
tgt_bottom_banner_border_two_frames

Comments

  1. Anneline says

    December 10, 2014 at 7:35 am

    Please would u kindly advise on the matter of cats killing owls living in the same area? I live in Midstream Estate which we have been told is a ‘grass owl’ sanctuary… So no cats allowed on the estate.

    Reply
    • Elma Pollard says

      December 12, 2014 at 11:16 am

      I looked around a bit and it seems grass owls nest in grass and are hence in danger of predators like cats. Sorry for you, but I think understandable and commendable that they are protecting grass owls in your area.

      Reply

Leave a Reply or Follow Cancel reply

Welcome to SA\s green news portal
Advertise here
  •      ECO DIRECTORY
    • Accommodation
    • Animals
    • Building
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing
    • Cosmetics
    • Electronics
    • Energy
      • Saving
      • Solar
    • Financial Services
    • Food/Farming
    • Gardening
    • Government
    • Health
    • Office
    • Publications
    • Restaurants
    • Supermarkets
    • Training
    • Transport
    • Trees
    • Waste
      • Composting
      • Recycling
    • Water
    • Web Services

Events

  1. World Environment Day

    May 5 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  2. African Utility Week

    May 15 @ 8:00 am - May 17 @ 5:00 pm
  3. Emerging Creative Leaders Cape Town Fellowship Program

    May 26 @ 8:00 am - June 1 @ 5:00 pm
  4. Adaptation Futures Conference 2018

    June 18 @ 8:00 am - June 21 @ 5:00 pm
  5. Natural Building Course

    October 7 @ 8:00 am - October 13 @ 5:00 pm

View All Events

advertise with Green Times

Tags

Africa agriculture America animals awards Cape Town carbon emissions children climate change community conference conservation drought economy education energy Eskom extreme weather farming food global warming government Greenpeace health ocean oceans petco plastic Plastics Federation of South Africa Plastics SA pollution protect Recycling renewable energy research science solar energy South Africa species protection sustainability united nations waste Water wildlife youth
2012-giving-thanks-for-environmental-wins
CONTRIBUTE HERE
Do you like what we do? Would you like to help keep this work afloat with a small monthly contribution? Join as a member and let's do it together.
nedbank-plays-pivotal-role-in-sas-first-green-bond
BECOME A SPONSOR
Doing good is good for business. We rely on corporate CSI and philanthropic support to drive sustainability mainstream, where it belongs.
  • ABOUT GREEN TIMES
    • Our Ethos
    • Our Intention
  • Support
    • Editorial
    • Sales
    • Contributions
  • Journalist Training
  • Feedback from Our Clients
  • Newsfeed Archive
JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
JOIN OUR MONTHLY NEWSFEED
Like our work? Please help Subscribe-now

      · Copyright © 2011–2018 All rights reserved · GREEN TIMES +2721 855 0518 · Design & Admin - THE GREEN TIMES ·

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.