In Owl’s Paradise: Little Owl Population Densities in Traditional Human Settlements Represent One of the Highest Densities Reported Among Owls Available to Purchase

Many species can achieve high population densities in habitats with plentiful resources. Such habitats are interesting from ecological, behavioral, and conservational perspectives. In this study, we assessed the population density of the avian predator, the Little Owl (Athene noctua) in traditional human settlements surrounded by natural grasslands in the Hortobágy region (eastern Hungary). Recorded population densities were much higher than those previously described for this species in other surveyed areas of comparable size. With a total of 176 calling males counted on 6.58 km², population density in the three towns we surveyed (33.3, 29.4, and 22.5 calling males/km²) exceeded 2–3 times the population densities reported from southern European areas with high Little Owl population densities. Moreover, these population densities were the highest reported for any owl species in Europe. In review of population densities reported for other species of owls across the world, we note the prominent role of the Athene genus (A. cunicularia, A. brama, and A. noctua in particular), whose population densities are matched only by some tropical forest owl species. Although Little Owls have suffered drastic population declines due to agricultural intensification in many areas across central and western Europe, some traditional human settlements still seem to provide high-quality breeding and foraging habitats; Little Owls represent an example of wildlife species thriving in some urban environments.