Keep owls safe this Owl Awareness Day

August 4 is Owl Awareness Day, a global celebration raising awareness of these much-loved raptors.

Western Australia is home to a number of Australia’s 11 owl species. Owls are mostly nocturnal and feed on everything from mammals, birds, reptiles and insects, the parts they don’t digest they later regurgitate as pellets. They’re also the masters of stealth, catching their prey on silent wings, thanks to their special, noise-cancelling feathers. Their superior eyesight and hearing add to their status as formidable predators.

Sadly, Western Australia’s owls are facing a silent killer in the form of poisoning from lethal rodenticides known as SGARs. Second-generation rodenticides, or SGARs, are powerful, slow-acting poisons that can kill not only the rats and mice they’re targeting, but any animal that eats poisoned rodents.

As an Owl Friendly City, we would like to encourage our community to give a hoot and consider owl-friendly rodent control. You can help keep our local owl populations safe by avoiding SGARs and practising bird-friendly rodent control at home.

Fremantle Coastal Ward Councillor Adin Lang said that collaboration and teamwork were key aspects of Fremantle becoming an Owl Friendly City.

“The Owl Friendly Movement is a great example of our collaboration and something we have been working on for over 12 months. We have been guided by subject matter experts from BirdLife Australia and Owl Friendly Margaret River. We have developed a model template any local government can follow, and which will have tangible positive impacts on wildlife in their community,” Cr Lang said.

Tips for bird-friendly rodent control Make your house and garden less friendly for rodents Clean up garden waste such as fallen fruit Seal roof and wall cavity access points Ensure excess pet food isn’t accessible Rodent proof chicken pens and aviaries Limit access to compost heaps by lining the base and turning it over regularly Traps

If you’re facing a rodent problem, there are many different traps available depending on your circumstances.

If you are trapping outside, or in an area that other species can access, it’s important to use traps that do not pose a risk to non-target species. In these instances, consider live traps so any non-target species can be safely released. Snap traps are also highly effective and a good option inside the home.

Use bird-safe rodent poison

Any kind of poison should always be a last resort when managing unwanted rodents. If you find yourself with no other choice, then make sure you choose poisons that are owl friendly.

Owl friendly poisons and baits usually contain First-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (FGARS). The key ingredients in these are Warfarin, Coumatetatryl or Diphacinone. If you are going to use FGARS ensure that baits are in block or paste form and are delivered in tamper-proof bait stations. Avoid bait pellets as these can be easily eaten by other animals.

More information

BirdLife Australia have put together a handy guide outlining what to buy and what to avoid. You can read more here. They also have many other helpful resources on their Act for Birds website here.