Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Despite a wide global distribution, the global population of Barn Owls has suffered a decline in recent years. In Sweden the population has been classified in literature as week and on the brink of extinction. The aim of this study was to investigate the national status of the Swedish Barn Owl population as well as the possible reasons for the limited population size. In addition the aim of this survey was to evaluate the applicability of different methods for conservation of Barn Owls in Sweden.

As of date, the Swedish population is classified as critically endangered with a limited number of breeding pairs located to the island of Gotland. There are several documented observations of Barn Owls in the province of Scania in southern Sweden, but this population is today believed to be extinct. Several factors are thought to be limiting the population, with severe winters and modernizations in agricultural trends considered to be the main ones.

To date, providing nestboxes is the single applied method for conservation in Sweden. However, the method has so far not showed any results in the population. The main reason for this is believed to be that the cold winters make Sweden unsuitable as a habitat for Barn Owls and that the population is therefore beyond saving. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the effects of other methods of conservation such as supportive feeding, captive breeding and release and habitat protection. However with the threat of winters still standing, the estimated effects of further conservation efforts in Sweden is most likely limited or nonexistent.