How to translate text using browser tools
2 October 2020 Establishment of Barn Owls (Tyto alba javanica) in an Urban Area on Penang Island, Malaysia
Safwan Saufi, Shakinah Ravindran, Noor H. Hamid, C. M. Rizuan Z. Abidin, Hamdan Ahmad, Abu H. Ahmad, Hasber Salim
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

As part of a project to introduce avian predators for biological pest control, we used hard and soft release methods to introduce Barn Owls (Tyto alba) in the urban area of Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, Malaysia. We tested five methods: (1) hard release of non-acclimated adults, (2) hard release of non-acclimated juveniles, (3) soft release of hand-reared fledglings, (4) soft release of acclimated juveniles, and (5) soft release of acclimated adults. We employed radio-tracking to analyze the success of all methods, and the movement and survival of some of the released birds. We analyzed regurgitated pellets to study the diet of the successfully introduced owls. All hard-released non-acclimated adults and non-acclimated juveniles left the study area within a few days after their release. Soft release of hand-reared fledglings was also unsuccessful, as we could only detect the radio-tracked owls for ≤10 d after their release. Of the nine acclimated juveniles that were soft released, one stayed within the study area for 25 d but eventually dispersed. The soft release using acclimated adults was the most successful release method, as 60% (3 of 5 birds) of the released owls were tracked for >30 d and became established as resident birds in the study area. We observed these adults roosting and hunting prey within the study area. Analysis of regurgitated pellets showed the resident Barn Owls preyed primarily on small mammals. Our results suggest that the most suitable method to introduce and establish Barn Owl populations in an urban area was by using soft release of acclimated adults.

© 2020 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.
Safwan Saufi, Shakinah Ravindran, Noor H. Hamid, C. M. Rizuan Z. Abidin, Hamdan Ahmad, Abu H. Ahmad, and Hasber Salim "Establishment of Barn Owls (Tyto alba javanica) in an Urban Area on Penang Island, Malaysia," Journal of Raptor Research 54(3), 265-272, (2 October 2020). https://doi.org/10.3356/0892-1016-54.3.265
Received: 7 May 2019; Accepted: 19 December 2019; Published: 2 October 2020
KEYWORDS
barn owl
Hard release
introduction
radio tracking
Soft release
Tyto alba
urban
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top