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Species |
Eagle owls in the UK
Recent media coverage has reported on the presence of a small number of breeding eagle owls in the UK. The origin of these individuals is unknown, though there is no evidence that birds other than from released stock have bred in Britain in recent times. As a probable introduced species, we believe the government should assess the likely impacts of an increasing population of eagle owls, including on the conservation status of native wildlife. Eagle owls may colonise Britain in the future as the population recovers on the European mainland. If eagle owls arrive here naturally, the RSPB would welcome it, as we do the expansion of other colonising birds, such as little egret and Cetti’s warbler. The British ListThe decision as to whether a species is included on the British List rests with the British Ornithologists' Union. The BOU Records Committee compiled a dossier on the eagle owl during an assessment of its status in 1996. An extensive review revealed around 90 reports of this species since 1684. After careful consideration, the BOU Committee concluded unanimously that many of the descriptions (where available) were not adequate to prove that eagle owl was the species concerned. Of those where the Committee accepted the identification as eagle owl, members were equally united in believing that the possibility of escapes and releases could not be dismissed. Nevertheless, as a European species, the eagle owl is fully protected in Britain when they occur in a wild state, unless it can be shown they were bred in captivity. The eagle owl has been known in captivity in this country since at least the 17th century and many were brought from India during the 19th century. Eagle owls are very commonly kept in captivity - often by people who are not falconers. Over 2,000 licences to keep pet eagle owls were applied for between 1998 and 2003. Historical evidenceThere is some limited fossil evidence of eagle owls in Britain, and a recent review of these records, published in British Birds, suggests that they may have been present soon after the end of the last Ice Age, 5,500 to 10,000 years ago.Several other former breeding birds, such as cranes, appear in art and literature, yet despite its size and being considered a bird of ill omen elsewhere in Europe, eagle owls do not appear regularly in English or Celtic culture until relatively recently. Regardless of the eagle owl's status as a formerly occurring bird in Britain, we believe a thorough assessment of the likely impacts of its return should be conducted. This is needed whether the species in question has been consistently present in one part of Britain before being re-introduced to another (eg red kites to England and Scotland) or absent for thousands of years (eg. eagle owl). Our positionThere are many examples, from this country and around the world, of serious conservation problems arising from the misguided introduction of non-native species. The introduction of American signal crayfish to many of our rivers has led our native white-clawed crayfish to the brink of extinction, while invasive plants from overseas are causing real damage to important wetland habitats in the UK. The RSPB is not suggesting that the small numbers of eagle owls breeding in Britain should be removed, but it is important that they are monitored to know what effect they are having on native wildlife and how they are spreading. It would be very unfortunate to discover in 20 years’ time that they were devastating native birds and, by then, it would be very difficult to do anything about it. Eagle owls will prey on a wide range of bird and mammals, but little is known about what is eaten by eagle owls in this country. This means that their potential impact on the conservation status of native wildlife is unknown. If eagle owls were to spread rapidly and affect the conservation status of native wildlife, including species such as black grouse and hen harrier, that would be of concern. We believe that, as part of its non-native species strategy, the government should assess the likely impacts of an increasing population of eagle owls and consult interested groups on its recommendations. If eagle owls are assessed to be a benign introduction, we would be happy to see them accepted as a part of our wildlife, in the same way that the introduced little owl has been. If eagle owls are a benign introduction, we do not see the need for a translocation programme to bolster their population. They would appear capable of increasing and spreading without the need for intervention. This is in contrast with species such as the red kite and white-tailed eagle that are well-documented as being native to Britain, but required assistance through re-introduction programmes to return to areas from which they had been eradicated. Last modified: 13 August 2007 |
Rape seed, close up - Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
Three puffins standing on a rock - Steve Round
Ice glacier, Jökulsárlón, Iceland - (iStockPhoto, Ref: 1809179)