My first day in my new job at the Yoracham Hoopoe Ecology Centre, saw me meet up with Yoav Motri, who is in charge of an amazing project. Bird boxes have been set up on agricultural land to encourage barn Owls and Kestrels to nest in them. The birds will then hunt rodents that feed in the fields adjacent to the boxes. having the birds as pest control agents means that farmers drastically reduce the amount of pesticide they use. A win win situation for all except the rodents! there are currently around 3000 nest boxes in Israel, with more in Palestine and Jordan. Recently Taiwan joined the project as well.
As Barn Owls and Kestrels truly know no boundaries, they not only solve economic problems, but are also bringing peoples together. Something that is very much needed in the Middle East. For more info there was an article in the Guardian newspaper a few years back http://www.theguardian.com/science/grrlscientist/2012/feb/09/1
it was also a ringing tick for me a although i'd handled many barn Owls before i had never actually ringed one
As Barn Owls and Kestrels truly know no boundaries, they not only solve economic problems, but are also bringing peoples together. Something that is very much needed in the Middle East. For more info there was an article in the Guardian newspaper a few years back http://www.theguardian.com/science/grrlscientist/2012/feb/09/1
it was also a ringing tick for me a although i'd handled many barn Owls before i had never actually ringed one
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| Barn owl chicks photo courtesy of Hoopoe Ecology Centre
As Rightly Pointed out to me (thanks Yoav) this project has been co-ordinated for many years by Proffesor Yossi Leshem, the Society For Protection of Nature In Israel, Tel Aviv University and The Ministry for Agriculture.
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Nice post about this important project coordinated for many years now by Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Tel Aviv University, Ministry of Agriculture and a few other partners. Worked in this project for several years.
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