Barn owls have made an incredible comeback after fears that the birds may die out in Britain. The species had its best ever breeding season last year when the mild winter helped the number of nests and chicks reach a record high. Experts feared for the future of the species in 2013 when already-fragile populations were decimated by the bitter cold – which hit food supplies of mice and voles, the British Trust for Ornithology said yesterday.
Using pheromones for mating disruption of codling moth is so widely accepted in the tree fruit industry that it’s become automatic for most orchardists. But imagine where the industry would be without the technology.
In an attempt to prevent the spread of the deadly bat disease White Nose Syndrome, Indiana closed its caves to the public in 2009. The fungus showed up two years later and has wiped out a large portion of the state’s bat population. Experts say, even with more research being done, the worst is yet to come for bats in Indiana.
Valentine’s Day is well-timed for some of the first courtship displays of the early breeders — owls. Even with snow in the branches and blanketing the ground, hearts are all aflutter, and focused on bringing another generation into being.
Philippi residents say there is just no getting rid of the rats terrorising them in their homes. But the City of Cape Town has a plan to introduce owls to solve the problem.
I love barn owls. The little owl may be more adorable and the eagle owl more impressive but watching a pale barn owl floating silently across the fields is one of the UK's nature wonders. And they really do float silently. I've been filming with Molly, a rescue barn owl, and she decided to take a bit of a detour while showing off for our cameras.
Woo-hoo! Barn Owl Stages a Comeback: Species Has Its Best Ever Breeding Season in 2014 Because Of The Mild Winter
