Long-eared owls in South West England

Long-eared owl survey in South West England. Photo credit Chris Sperring MBE.

March 2010. Teams of volunteers, led by Chris Sperring from the Hawk and Owl Trust are carrying out surveys of these rare nocturnal birds in Forestry Commission forests to attempt to discover just how many breeding pairs there are in South West England.

Long-eared owls present on Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor
Thus far the surveys have confirmed the presence of Long-eared Owls in forests on Bodmin moor and on Dartmoor. More surveys are yet to be carried out at Haldon Forest and selected Exmoor forests.

Britain's rarest owl
The Long-eared Owl is Britain's rarest owl species and notoriously difficult to survey. It is thought that there is a UK population of just 1,500-2000 pairs. Strongly associated with conifer plantations, the Long-eared Owl actually requires a dual habitat; dense forests in which to roost and nest, and open rough grassland for hunting; particularly favouring Upland and Moorland areas.

Conifer forests are vital
Chris Sperring says: "What the results of these surveys are showing so far is how important conifer forests are for these rarely seen, nocturnal owls. Due to their elusive ways we don't know much at all about the Long-eared Owl and this lack of knowledge has meant that it isn't afforded any special legal protection or conservation status and is entirely omitted from the UK Birds of Conservation Concern List (BCC). That is why I believe it is so important to carry out these surveys and try to find out where they are and what habitats they prefer."

Spaces between trees
Steve Minton, Planning Manager at the Forestry Commission adds: "Our forests provide important habitats for a range of species and it is important that we know whether long eared owls are one of these. Modern forestry is not just about trees but the spaces in between them and the species that live in them. The more we are aware of which species are using our forests the more we can tailor future land management to meet their needs."

There will be further summer surveys during May and June. All data recorded will be submitted to both the Forestry Commission as well as The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). During the surveys, recordings of any other birds will also be recorded and data will also be submitted to the BTO for inclusion in their national survey as Roving Records.