The eagle owl is Latvia's largest owl, and there are so few of them that even one new nest with younglings is a great success.
The Latvian Ornithological Society, with financial support from the Environmental Protection Fund, has installed 400 artificial nests in the last three years to contribute to the growth of the eagle owl population. Ornithologist Pēteris Daknis said it was hard to say how many of these birds are in Latvia. There could be anywhere between 8 to 70 pairs.
“You can hear from a long distance. On clear, chilly nights, early in the spring, when it is totally silent and still, the eagle owl can be heard as far away as 5 kilometers,” Daknis said.
If you have been able to hear the owl, please notify the “Nature Data” database or the Ornithological Society.
It usually takes at least one season for the owls to get used to the artificial nest and figure out how to use it. The owl traditionally nests on the ground, but a home in the tree guarantees more security. On the ground, birds are increasingly facing dangers. The owls don't tolerate any distractions, like sawing forests, accompanied by noise and a long-term human presence. The owl relies on hearing when hunting food for himself.
“If there is artificially generated noise in the area all the time, hunting can be very unsuccessful or they fly much further to make it possible to provide food,” the ornithologist noted.
Even the smallest disturbance during nesting can be fatal, said Daknis.
