Marcin Matysek, Tomasz Figarski, Paweł Wieczorek, Jakub Wyka, Łukasz Kajtoch
Ornis Polonica 2015, 56: 287–297
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2015.4.2
Abstract: The study describes distribution of territories of the Tawny Owl Strix aluco and Ural Owl S. uralensis in fragmented forests in the southern part of Kraków–Częstochowa Upland and central part of West-Carpathian Foothills in 2014–2015. In total, 114 territories of the Tawny Owl were found (average density 7.0 territories/10 km2 of forest area) and 17 territories of the Ural Owl (average density 1.0 ter./10 km2 of forest area and 1.8 ter./10 km2 of forest area considering only Foothills). Territories of the Tawny Owl were distributed uniformly, however in forests occupied simultaneously by Ural Owls, Tawny Owls territories were restricted to forest edges and smaller woods in surrounding areas. Numbers appear to remain constant in some areas compared to earlier counts from 2004–2008, while in other forests the 15% population increase was observed. Three territories of the Ural Owl, known in the past, have not been found recently (local decrease of 20%). The most probable explanation for the loss of Ural Owl territories in some woods was forest management, mainly felling systems performed in older woods. It is recommended to implement a monitoring system of both owl species in the studied area.
Keywords: allopatry, Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, owls, Strigidae, sympatry, West-Carpathian Foothill
