castanops_research


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Research Project

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Research Project

Methods

Call Playback Surveys

The distribution and broad habitat preferences of the owl will be investigated using the standard call playback survey method of Kavanagh & Bamkin (1995), carried out at pre-determined sites based on vegetation type and maturity. This involves a listening period, playback of pre-recorded Tasmanian masked owl calls, followed by spotlighting and further listening.

Design and analysis will take into account findings of Wintle et al. (2005) specifically in relation to modelling and repeat visits. Survey sites will be randomly selected stratified sites according to vegetation type and altitude. Each site will be visited four times.

Diet Analysis

Owl diet will be studied by collecting regurgitated owl pellets from roost and nest sites of the tracked owls. Relationships between prey and habitat use will be investigated.

Owl Tracking

Owls will be captured and fitted with GPS dataloggers. The devices record the location of the owl, at pre-determined intervals using satellites. Up to 500 locations, with an accuracy of +/- 5 metres can be stored. The devices have a download module fitted so that the locations stored in the memory can be remotely downloaded by a hand-held receiver.

The GPS dataloggers will reveal nest sites, roost sites and preferred foraging sites of the owls. These will be analysed in terms of season, time of night and weather conditions.

Methods Call Playback Surveys The distribution and broad habitat preferences of the owl will be investigated using the standard call playback survey method of Kavanagh & Bamkin (1995), carried out at pre-determined sites based on vegetation type and maturity. This involves a listening period, playback of pre-recorded Tasmanian masked owl calls, followed by spotlighting and further listening. Design and analysis will take into account findings of Wintle et al. (2005) specifically in relation to modelling and repeat visits. Survey sites will be randomly selected stratified sites according to vegetation type and altitude. Each site will be visited four times. Diet Analysis Owl diet will be studied by collecting regurgitated owl pellets from roost and nest sites of the tracked owls. Relationships between prey and habitat use will be investigated. Owl Tracking Owls will be captured and fitted with GPS dataloggers. The devices record the location of the owl, at pre-determined intervals using satellites. Up to 500 locations, with an accuracy of +/- 5 metres can be stored. The devices have a download module fitted so that the locations stored in the memory can be remotely downloaded by a hand-held receiver. The GPS dataloggers will reveal nest sites, roost sites and preferred foraging sites of the owls. These will be analysed in terms of season, time of night and weather conditions.
Funding- what will it be used for? It is necessary to have a large number of survey sites and repeat visits to ensure that the survey results will provide meaningful results. The proposed research will require considerable travel costs over the next few years as the sites will be spread across eastern and northern Tasmania The GPS dataloggers could provide unprecedented insights into the life of Tyto owls and into the life and habitats of the Tasmanian Masked Owl in particular. This technology has not been able to be used with barn owls previously as it is only now that the devices have become small enough to fit to the largest of the Tyto owls. The combination of extensive travel and technological devices means that the project will require financial support.
Benefits of the Research The results of the research will enable the first detailed understanding of where and more importantly why Tasmanian Masked Owls occur where they do. The ways in which habitat, hollow abundance and prey abundance influence Tasmanian Masked Owl survival will be able to be fed into the management processes necessary to ensure the species survival. Land-use practices that may be detrimental to the Tasmanian Masked Owl will be able to be modified accordingly based on solid, defendable facts from the research. The methodology and results may be able to be applied to large forest owls on the mainland in the future.
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