Distribution and Conservation of the Boreal Owl in the Jeseníky Mountains
Historical records of the Boreal Owl in the Jeseníky Mountains, particularly within the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area (PLA), are relatively scarce. Venus (1965) recorded one individual near Vernířovice (Šumperk District), and in 1975 a Boreal Owl was caught in a steel trap near Stará Ves (Bruntál District; Suchý 2004). Breeding was first confirmed in 1972 by staff of the Jeseníky PLA Administration, when eight young fledged from a nest box installed in an old spruce stand at Rejvíz (Jeseník District; Beran 1972). According to L. Hajný, three to four nest boxes near the Rejvíz National Nature Reserve were occupied by Boreal Owls during the 1980s. However, following predation by martens, the owls ceased using these boxes and nested instead in cavities excavated by Black Woodpeckers in beech trees (Hajný, in litt. 2009).
Following the discovery of a Boreal Owl flight feather in the Rýmařov area, Suchý (1985, 2004) began installing nest boxes in 1980. He installed 17 boxes that year, followed by four in 1982, two in 1986, nine in 1988, two in 1989 and another two in 1992, making a total of 36 nest boxes for the species. Six boxes were destroyed during logging operations by 1995 (Suchý 2004), and a further six after 1995 (Poprach, unpublished data). Based on inspections of these nest boxes, Suchý (2004) subsequently described the occurrence and breeding biology of the Boreal Owl in the Rýmařov area. In 1998, TYTO (then a civic association, now a registered association) took over the maintenance of the nest boxes from O. Suchý and gradually extended the network into other parts of the Jeseníky PLA.
In 1998, the nest-box network was expanded by 45 boxes in the area northwest of Rýmařov and Malá Morávka. A further 41 boxes were installed around Rejvíz in 1999, 68 around Kouty nad Desnou in 2001 and another 42 around Karlova Studánka in 2002. By the end of 2002, a total of 219 nest boxes were in place within the Jeseníky PLA. Outside the protected landscape area, we installed another 20 Boreal Owl nest boxes in the area managed by the Bruntál Forest District in 2000.
Between 1998 and 2013, the installed nest boxes were maintained annually, including cleaning, repairs to damaged boxes and replacement of destroyed boxes. In 2013, a total of 226 Boreal Owl nest boxes were inspected within the Jeseníky PLA.
Author: Karel Poprach
Project Funders
We thank the institutions listed below for their long-term financial support of the project to improve nesting opportunities for the Boreal Owl in the Jeseníky Mountains.
Between 1998 and 2013, the production and installation of Boreal Owl nest boxes within the Jeseníky PLA were financially supported by the Ministry of the Environment through its Landscape Management Programme, administered by the Jeseníky PLA Administration. The production and installation of nest boxes outside the Jeseníky PLA, in the area managed by the Bruntál Forest District, were financially supported by Forests of the Czech Republic, State Enterprise, Bruntál Forest District.
Inspection and maintenance of Boreal Owl nest boxes between 1998 and 2013 were financially supported by:
Forests of the Czech Republic, State Enterprise, through its Bruntál, Janovice, Jeseník and Loučná nad Desnou Forest Districts.
The Ministry of the Environment, through the Jeseníky PLA Administration under the Landscape Management Programme.
TYTO, which funded nest-box maintenance in years when sufficient external funding could not be secured.
In managed forests, the Boreal Owl readily occupies installed nest boxes equipped with effective protection against predation by Pine Martens and Beech Martens. Photo: © Karel Poprach.