Central Romania: Brașov forests house the largest densities of owls in the world, new study says

The forests around the mountain city of Brașov and the Postăvaru Massif may be home to the largest densities of large owls in the world, according to a study by biologist Călin Vasile Hodor from Wildlife Management Consulting and professor Dan Traian Ionescu from the Faculty of Forestry Brașov, as quoted by BizBrasov.ro.

The study looked at the presence, distribution, and density of owl species in the forests administered by the Kronstadt Local Public Forestry Administration in order to identify the two owl species (small and large) in the forests of the Postăvaru Massif.

The research also considered habitat structure, the relationship between the presence of owls and forest management, including comparisons between intervention and non-intervention areas, according to BizBrasov.

Of the 50 points in which the research was conducted, one or both owl species were identified in 44 points, representing 88% of the total monitoring points, and in only 6 of the points there were no detections. The total number of owl specimens was 73, of which 20 were large owls and 53 were small owls. Their density was calculated starting from a 500 m radius around the monitoring points.

Summing all observations, the following densities resulted: small owl, 0.94 territories/100 ha (9.4 t./1000 ha); large owl, 3.8 t./1000 ha. In the case of the small owl, the calculated density is within the limits known at the European level,

Large owls in the area, however, represent almost double the highest previously known densities. As such, the forest structure and existing food resources are optimal for this species in the Postăvaru Massif area, according to the researchers.

(Photo source: Ondrej Prosicky | Dreamstime.com)