Habitat trees for the Scops owl marked with special signs

During the summer of 2020, the employees of Nature park Goričko Public Institute marked 50 old high-trunk fruit trees with cavities which are suitable for nesting of the Scops owl, with special awareness signs. Such trees are called habitat trees. The habitat trees were selected according to their suitability for Scops owl by DOPPS- Birdlife Slovenia and Gorička krajina project partner. Such cavities where cavity-nesting birds can nest are not used only by Scops owl. They are key feature also for hoopoe and common redstart. Signs present the importance of conservation of old high-tree trunk fruit trees that have cavities in the trunk. Brief presentation of the Scops owl ecology and its conservation measures are also presented.

The signs were placed next to the trees for which their owners signed a conservation agreement with the Nature park Goričko Public Institute. Those include the obligation to regularly remove white mistletoe, a semi-parasitic plant that harms trees. In addition, they will properly maintain the surroundings of the trees, will not clog the cavities or otherwise intentionally damage the habitat trees. For this they will receive monetary compensation.