Sunday, April 28, 2013

Continuing with the bird theme

Experts from the Miguel Hernandez University and the Association of Friends of the Sierra Escalona have been collecting data about the number of owls in the area. They claim to have found around 350 pairs in the Alicante province of which 160 pairs habit the Vega Baja from Orihuela, San Miguel de Salinas to Pilar de la Horadada taking in the Dehesa de Campoamor.

For many years, the owl population in this area was under threat but now seems to have recovered. The abundance of natural prey for the birds to feed on is a contributing factor to their growth and survival.

Many of the nests that were checked over the breeding season had three or four chicks in them showing that the population will survive. Young birds leave the nest when they are about four months old and set up in new territory about 12 kms from their birthplace.    

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