Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes
As is well-known, endemic island bird species are especially vulnerable to extinction from anthropogenic environmental change and reduced fitness compared with mainland taxa. The Cyprus Scops Owl, <i>Otus cyprius,</i> is a recently recognized island endemic species whose ecology and bree...
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| author | Savvas Iezekiel Reuven Yosef Constantinos Themistokleus Dimitrios E. Bakaloudis Christos G. Vlachos Andreas Antoniou Eandas Iezekiel Malamati A. Papakosta Jakub Z. Kosicki |
| author_facet | Savvas Iezekiel Reuven Yosef Constantinos Themistokleus Dimitrios E. Bakaloudis Christos G. Vlachos Andreas Antoniou Eandas Iezekiel Malamati A. Papakosta Jakub Z. Kosicki |
| author_sort | Savvas Iezekiel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As is well-known, endemic island bird species are especially vulnerable to extinction from anthropogenic environmental change and reduced fitness compared with mainland taxa. The Cyprus Scops Owl, <i>Otus cyprius,</i> is a recently recognized island endemic species whose ecology and breeding biology have not been studied. It nests mainly in holes in trees and buildings, so the felling of old trees, modern architectural practices, and the renovation of old houses in villages may reduce nest site availability. Its population trend is also unknown. Therefore, to better determine its ecological requirements and habitat preferences we placed nest boxes in rural areas adjacent to the forest, in the forest, and in the ecotone between them, and used breeding success as our indicator of habitat suitability. We found that breeding parameters like laying date, clutch size, length of the incubation period, hatching day, hatching success, and number of nestlings did not differ between the three habitats. Despite the low level of nest box occupancy rate (5–11%) the endemic Cyprus Scops Owl readily breeds in artificial nests. Therefore, although we are unaware of any current threats to the Cyprus Scops Owl, we recommend that its conservation be prioritized, including studies, monitoring, habitat conservation, and the provision of nest boxes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:25:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92178b5c55b44cce858d12b5184ea042 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:25:33Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-92178b5c55b44cce858d12b5184ea0422023-11-22T00:04:07ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-06-01116177510.3390/ani11061775Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest BoxesSavvas Iezekiel0Reuven Yosef1Constantinos Themistokleus2Dimitrios E. Bakaloudis3Christos G. Vlachos4Andreas Antoniou5Eandas Iezekiel6Malamati A. Papakosta7Jakub Z. Kosicki8Department of Forests, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Nicosia 1414, CyprusBen Gurion University of the Negev—Eilat Campus, P.O. Box 272, Eilat 88000, IsraelDepartment of Forests, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Kedron 1 str., Panagia 86400, CyprusSchool of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 241, 541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 241, 541 24 Thessaloniki, GreeceCyprus Association for the Protection of Avifauna Ioanni Kapodistria 41A, Nicosia 2321, CyprusCyprus Association for the Protection of Avifauna Ioanni Kapodistria 41A, Nicosia 2321, CyprusDepartment of Forestry and Management of the Environment & Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, PolandAs is well-known, endemic island bird species are especially vulnerable to extinction from anthropogenic environmental change and reduced fitness compared with mainland taxa. The Cyprus Scops Owl, <i>Otus cyprius,</i> is a recently recognized island endemic species whose ecology and breeding biology have not been studied. It nests mainly in holes in trees and buildings, so the felling of old trees, modern architectural practices, and the renovation of old houses in villages may reduce nest site availability. Its population trend is also unknown. Therefore, to better determine its ecological requirements and habitat preferences we placed nest boxes in rural areas adjacent to the forest, in the forest, and in the ecotone between them, and used breeding success as our indicator of habitat suitability. We found that breeding parameters like laying date, clutch size, length of the incubation period, hatching day, hatching success, and number of nestlings did not differ between the three habitats. Despite the low level of nest box occupancy rate (5–11%) the endemic Cyprus Scops Owl readily breeds in artificial nests. Therefore, although we are unaware of any current threats to the Cyprus Scops Owl, we recommend that its conservation be prioritized, including studies, monitoring, habitat conservation, and the provision of nest boxes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1775Cyprusisland endemicScops Owl<i>Otus cyprius</i>nest box |
| spellingShingle | Savvas Iezekiel Reuven Yosef Constantinos Themistokleus Dimitrios E. Bakaloudis Christos G. Vlachos Andreas Antoniou Eandas Iezekiel Malamati A. Papakosta Jakub Z. Kosicki Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes Animals Cyprus island endemic Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> nest box |
| title | Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes |
| title_full | Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes |
| title_fullStr | Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes |
| title_short | Endemic Cyprus Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> Readily Breeds in Artificial Nest Boxes |
| title_sort | endemic cyprus scops owl i otus cyprius i readily breeds in artificial nest boxes |
| topic | Cyprus island endemic Scops Owl <i>Otus cyprius</i> nest box |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1775 |
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