UK Long-eared Owl survey (1 Viewer)

[WalterRayle]

Just a word to the wise about the above that was featured on the 'Bird Guides' news page. Don't waste your time clicking the link to the Hawk and Owl Trust who are asking birders to help with a 'UK wide Long-eared Owl survey', they offer no useful advice about how to join in or help, merely suggesting we go outdoors and look for LEO's with no survey technique mentioned and no suggestions for how we can gather replicable, coordinated (or properly useful) data. I wasted my time on it and saw it as my duty to warn others not to waste theirs! I certainly wouldn't donate anything to them either. LEO's are pretty cool and I'm sure most of us keep our eyes peeled for them when we're on our local patches, this pseudo survey benefits no-one. Am I being a bit harsh? do I care? No.

 

[ChrisMc1957]

I have to agree, I saw this survey some time ago and after looking at it I thought it was a bit confusing and incomprehensible, so I gave up. I do know of a place where there are LEO's too so I could have helped, but not when they make things so hard to understand and give you little help!

 

[pianoman]

A pretty reliable way at least to identify the presence of breeding LEO is to familiarize yourself with the juvenile calls, then wander through suitable woodland in early to mid July at dusk. If LEO is breeding in that wood, you will hear the calls pretty reliably. You may also be able to track them enough to get a view of the nearly-grown juveniles.
I imagine that is slightly more scientific than waiting for car headlamp glimpses at random etc.

 

[Jon.Bryant]

If LEO is breeding in that wood, you will hear the calls pretty reliably

Yep this is the methodology I had heard about. The RSPB’s book Bird Surveying Methods covers Short-eared but not Long-eared, and I don’t think BTO is planning a national survey - the are normally pretty good at defining the survey technique that should be used. So on current knowledge I think the chicks are the best option.

I am going to spend some time surveying for them this year, although I suspect finding any will be a long shot. Does anybody know when adults are vocal, and how far the call carries - I suspect calls don’t carry far and are seasonal or infrequent, hence the better odds with juvenile begging calls.

 

[Georgebirds]

I fill my Long-eared Owl sightings in on Ebird whenever they happen, but they're one marked as a Sensitive species so they don't show up publicly, to protect the roost sites. Surely this info which is not seen by general website visitors, would still be available by request, to scientists and conservationists doing any legit population studies?

 

[ChrisMc1957]

Yep this is the methodology I had heard about. The RSPB’s book Bird Surveying Methods covers Short-eared but not Long-eared, and I don’t think BTO is planning a national survey - the are normally pretty good at defining the survey technique that should be used. So on current knowledge I think the chicks are the best option.

I am going to spend some time surveying for them this year, although I suspect finding any will be a long shot. Does anybody know when adults are vocal, and how far the call carries - I suspect calls don’t carry far and are seasonal or infrequent, hence the better odds with juvenile begging calls.

They are vocal generally during breeding season, which in the UK is early Spring onwards, so February and early March. The males make their calls to claim their territory, but they tend to be fairly quiet the rest of the year. From what I know, their calls can only be heard up to about 200 metres away. But it probably also depends a bit on location.

 

[pianoman]

They are vocal generally during breeding season, which in the UK is early Spring onwards, so February and early March. The males make their calls to claim their territory, but they tend to be fairly quiet the rest of the year. From what I know, their calls can only be heard up to about 200 metres away. But it probably also depends a bit on location.

Yes Males call in the spring but there is a certain amount of luck in being there to hear them. The fledged juv calls in July (my local forest anyway) are quite constant and far-carrying so you would likely hear them. Of course this won't find adults that did not breed that year, and won't tell you exactly how many. I assume that a group of 2 or 3 calling juvs have a couple of much more discreet parents somewhere close.