Sandhurst owls successfully ringed
SANDTON – EcoSolution's visit to Sandhurst was a successful one as they managed to ring barn owls and educate clients.
EcoSolutions recently visited one of their clients and owl keeper in Sandhurst for owl ringing. Hussein Moyo and ecologist Sara Orchardson led the ringing procedure while other clients watched and learned more about barn owls.
The EcoSolutions members ringed all four barn owlets found in the EcoSolution owl box. The owlets’ rings enable EcoSolutions to provide details to the Safring (South African Bird Ringing Unit) which is managed by the Avian Unit at the University of Cape Town.
“The barn owlets have been breeding here for at least four years in an EcoSolution owl box. What makes this extra special is that this is the second time in the year that the owls have bred, I remember they bred in April so this is just amazing.
“There’s a lot of rats in the area which is why they have bred twice this year. They normally breed from March until May but if there are more rats, they are likely to breed more.”
Orchardson further outlined the importance of ringing the owls. “It is very important to ring these barn owls for conservation purposes and we get very interesting data when ring owls are picked up. We can also see their fletching distance and time they’ve taken in that fletching distance.”
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/219378/owl-gets-new-home/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/212121/robin-hills-welcomes-three-newborn-baby-owls/
