Penny,
Yes there are many more Powerful Owls than there used to be in the
area but I would guess at 3 pairs around Macquarie Uni judging by the
density where I live about 4km downstream. That might mean up to 12
birds with their juveniles at this time of year.
There is an abundance of Ringtails in the area so they do not need to
travel far for a catch. The surrounding gardens, exotics & weeds such
as privet also contribute to a year round food supply for the
possums. At the moment it is common to see ringtails sitting out
during the day, their dreys too hot & full of young. I have watched a
female & 2 juvenile PO's sitting within a few metres of a grooming
ringtail until the female shooed it away by beating her wings against
her breast which didn't seem to be the action of a hungry normally
silent hunter.
There are also many old trees with a selection of nesting hollows in
the area. The forested area has increased significantly in area &
maturity in the past 50 years & the boys that used to have catapults
& airguns now have Playstations.
The field guide notes regarding pair ranges should be seen as
referring to the non urban environment I suggest.
There are also reports of Powerful Owls now roosting in nearby areas
where they have not been seen before suggesting increasing population
pressure.
There have usually been 2 juveniles successfully raised each year in
our tributary valley & there is a lone old female roosting close to
this years family of 4, again going against the common knowledge of
fierce protection of territory.
It certainly seems to be good times for the Powerful Owl population -
but I can't see 30 pairs.
Chris Charles
On 16/12/2007, at 12:21 AM, Penny Brockman wrote:
In the Sydney Morning Herald of 8/9 December, Joel Gibson in a nice
little article on Koori time Page 33, mentions "about 30 pairs of
60 centimetre high Powerful Owls that haunt the night around
Macquarie University". Would someone who lives in that part of
Sydney like to comment on this rather high number of POs? That
means 60 owls in all in this rather small area!!!
And this weekend 15/16 December, there is a large picture on the
front page of Emperor Penquins with chick in the Antarctic, with a
caption underneath that refers to Adelie Penquins. Where is the
SMH's bird expert???
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