Barking Owls on the radar
Barking Owls are on the radar for the next few months in the Wattle Range district of the South East, with Nature Glenelg Trust coordinating surveys on private and public land to find this elusive owl.
A pair of Barking Owls (B. Haywood)
Barking Owls are smaller than Powerful Owls but larger than the Boobook Owl (or Mopoke). Their preferred prey are Ringtail Possums and Sugar Gliders and they require large hollows for nesting. They can be found in almost any habitat type but seem to prefer the gum woodlands of Red Gum, Blue Gum, and Manna Gum.
Powerful Owl (B. Haywood)
Nature Glenelg Trust ecologists have recently been busy surveying forested areas around the region particularly noting suitable habitat, in an effort to determine locations at which to focus the upcoming owl surveys. During habitat surveys, the locations of large hollows were recorded, which provides important clues as to where possible nesting sites might be, and where prey animals might live nearby.
Members of the public are invited to be involved in the owl surveys, no experience necessary. To register your interest and for more information contact the NGT office on (08) 8797 8596.
Southern Boobook (B. Haywood)
