Ecological Transition
The eagle owl, the capercaillie and how new technologies are helping with their conservation
Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente, biologist and daughter of the famous educationalist, accompanies us to learn about some of the conservation projects for the eagle owl and the capercaillie. Or to put it another way, the king of the night and the ghost of the forest.
There are about 18,000 species of birds in the world, including more than 200 kinds of owls. But there is one that stands out above the rest: the eagle owl. Although it is generally known as the 'Grand Duke', Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente also called it the 'King of the Night' or the 'Prince of Darkness'.
These nicknames are no coincidence, since it is not only a great predator but also the largest nocturnal bird we have in Europe. One of the crown jewels of fauna from the Iberian Peninsula to Kamchatka, in Russia. Despite this and the fact that all daytime birds of prey respect and avoid it, it is in a poor state of conservation in Europe. In Spain, it has been included in the “List of Wild Species under Special Protection” and in Catalonia it is listed as a protected species.
With the aim of improving this situation in Catalonia, in 2021 a project was launched focusing on the study of their behaviour in order to reduce their mortality.
The eagle owl conservation project
As explained by Jaume Balsells, General Manager of Birding Natura, the eagle owl project, promoted by Endesa and in collaboration with the MITECO (Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge) of the Regional Government of Catalonia and its Corps of Rural Agents, is being undertaken in different parts of Catalonia. "We divided it into four areas in order to study how this species behaves in very different areas ecologically speaking," explained Balsells. So it is being developed in the Baix Empordà, the Terres de l'Ebre, Catalunya Central and Plana de Lleida.
"For Birding Natura it is clear that we need to take advantage of the latest technologies to be able to make better proposals to safeguard it," added Balsells. We have been using transmitters for a number of years that enable us to know exactly where these birds are, as well as possible causes of death and their interaction with dangerous factors, etc.
So in the first phase of the project, radio tracking devices were installed on six adults. This enabled us to have control thanks to a battery-powered GPS module that has autonomy for one year. The collected data is downloaded to a server on a daily basis and with this information different activity reports are prepared. Six other transmitters have already been installed on chicks to obtain data starting with their first flight.
“The latest technologies can help us preserve certain species such as the eagle owl”.
– Jaume Balsells, General Manager of Birding Natura
The next phase of the project involved using a camera to undertake 24-hour monitoring of a nest with five eggs in Les Garrigues (Lleida). "We were lucky because from a clutch of five eggs, they all hatched and fledged. This was very unusual", explained Jaume Balsells.
The objective of incorporating this camera, which works with solar energy and 4G connection, was to see how the nest evolved without human interaction. It was possible view the birth of the five owls livestreamed, how the mother kept them warm and how the chicks played until they took flight. "I do not think we are yet aware of how much the latest technologies can help us to preserve animal species such as the eagle owl", the General Manager of Birding Natura concluded.
The capercaillie, also endangered
The capercaillie is another fascinating bird that unfortunately is also at risk. It is thought to be one of the most endangered species on the Iberian Peninsula, since its population has declined significantly, especially in the last 15 years. As Guillem Más, Manager of Paisatges Vius, explained, it is a forest bird that is very difficult to see even though it is quite large. "We call it the phantom of the forest," he said.
Much of the activity of Paisatges Vius is geared precisely towards actions for the conservation of the species. "We are an administrative complement. We are here to solve specific problems in specific capercaillie populations", said the director. They also collaborate with the state administration through the Biodiversity Foundation and for some time now they have been collaborating with private companies, as is the case with Endesa.
Signposting the cabling on our power lines in the l'Art Pirineu Nature Reserve (Lleida).
Last May, we launched a capercaillie conservation project that includes signposting the cabling on our power lines in the l'Art Pirineu Nature Reserve, in the municipality of Rialp (Lleida). The aim was to make this aerial cabling visible so that capercaillies did not collide with it when crossing the forest from one side to the other.
This involved placing catadioptrics, devices that make a sound when they rotate and they also reflect light. "There are more and more people in the mountains and more activities throughout the year. Our goal is to make people aware that there are sensitive species and we explain how they should behave to help with their conservation," concluded Guillem Más.
