Habitat for the powerful owl
Originally published in the Morisset and Peninsula Bulletin, December 2018.
Submitted by Lindi Bowen for MAPS.
Submitted by Lindi Bowen for MAPS.
Let’s retain existing and create more habitat for our local powerful owl (Ninox strenua), a hawk-faced owl that is the largest in Australia at 60cm (two ruler lengths) long.
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It lives in our forested areas and hides in dense vegetation during the day. During the night, it hunts gliders and possums, flying foxes, birds and some large insects. In its winter breeding season, it needs large tree hollows to nest in.
The owl has a magnificent plumage with scalloped brown feather edges down a light beige breast. Unlike many owls, it does not have a dish-face that would direct sound to its ears. It inhabits forest and open woodland areas along the NSW east coast, NSW mountains and along the Murray River. The tree and tall shrub species it inhabits include:
Preserving these trees is important to provide the owls with the right habitat. Plant some she-oaks in the wetter parts of your property for them to roost in. Native cherries cannot be planted, as they grow on the roots of some eucalypts. For breeding, they need the preservation of large old eucalypt trees with hollows.
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The tree hollows have to be at least 50 cm deep, in eucalypts with a diameter of one to two and a half metres, which is a very large tree. These trees are usually at least 150 years old. The female and babies are in the nest and the male powerful owl roosts nearby within ten to 200 metres, guarding them. He likes to be inside a dense “grove” of trees at that distance to give him concealment from humans and birds that might harass him, so there needs to be a thick grove within that distance of the old tree hollow.
The owl needs a hunting area of around 400 to 1450 hectares, which is equivalent to between 4,000 and 14,500 house blocks with connecting roads, a large area of the Peninsula. In order for there to be habitat suited to owls, we also have to have habitat suited to and enough of its prey, the possums, gliders, flying foxes, birds and large insects. The majority of them need hollows to nest in. Without enough tree hollows, we need to provide nesting boxes.
Morisset and Peninsula Sustainable (MAPS) Neighbourhood Group is looking for a few volunteers to organise and run a project to look at enhancing the habitat for this special owl and its prey. If you love owls, possums, gliders, flying foxes, birds and/or large insects, this could be your opportunity to get work experience in this field, or just help out a fellow inhabitant of our local area. Contact MAPS at [email protected].
The owl needs a hunting area of around 400 to 1450 hectares, which is equivalent to between 4,000 and 14,500 house blocks with connecting roads, a large area of the Peninsula. In order for there to be habitat suited to owls, we also have to have habitat suited to and enough of its prey, the possums, gliders, flying foxes, birds and large insects. The majority of them need hollows to nest in. Without enough tree hollows, we need to provide nesting boxes.
Morisset and Peninsula Sustainable (MAPS) Neighbourhood Group is looking for a few volunteers to organise and run a project to look at enhancing the habitat for this special owl and its prey. If you love owls, possums, gliders, flying foxes, birds and/or large insects, this could be your opportunity to get work experience in this field, or just help out a fellow inhabitant of our local area. Contact MAPS at [email protected].
