Mackinder’s Eagle Owls in Kenya by Darcy Ogada

A population of Mackinder’s eagle owls in central Kenya has been the focus of ecological research in since June 2004.  Darcy Ogada of the National Museums of Kenya and Paul Muriithi have been studying this population of approximately 16 pairs to determine the impacts of farming practices on the ecology and conservation of the owls. The owls’ nest and roost on cliffs adjacent to small farms in the lower reaches of the Aberdare Mountains.  The owls are also a draw for bird tourists and the income generated from this supports individual farmers and community projects. 

During the initial two and half years of research, the team, which also included interns from the National Museum, monitored owl nest sites, collected and analyzed pellets, trapped small mammals and measured crops in nearby farms to better understand the influence of farming practices on owls.  The team also interviewed 72 farmers about their farming practices and attitudes toward owls. 

Mackinder’s eagle owls in central Kenya are generalist predators capable of exploiting an agricultural niche that is devoid of most other predators.  Our research has shown that the owls consume a wide variety of prey, 87% mammals, 7% birds and 5% insects.  Farming practices are influencing both prey selection and abundance of Mackinder’s eagle owls.  Owls respond to numerical fluctuations in small mammals and may play an important role in controlling farm pests.  Irrigated farms provide owls with a year-round food source.  However, diet diversity of this population of owls is high and this may have negative long-term consequences for owl productivity and some farming practices continue to threaten this population, particularly the poisoning of owl prey with pesticides.

Farmers we interviewed said pests were the most serious problem they faced.  Only 28% of farmers said they controlled vertebrate pests using pesticides, but we also noticed that carbofuran (tradename Furadan) was often misused to kill vertebrate pests.  Most farmers (68%) said they didn’t believe in the culturally negative beliefs about owls and 75% knew at least one type of owl prey.  Farmers who benefited from owl tourism were more likely to know about owl diet and habits, but this did not have a positive effect on farmers’ behaviour toward owls.  This was probably a result of a lack of ecological literacy rather than any direct antagonism toward owls.

Paul continues to monitor the owls each month and we plan to publish long-term data on the owls’ productivity and breeding ecology.  Further information about our project is on our website: www.owlspot.com

Our project has been generously supported by: National Geographic Conservation Trust, SeaWorld &Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, The Peregrine Fund, World Owl Trust, Raptor Research Foundation, Leslie Brown Memorial Grant, John Ball Zoo Society Wildlife Conservation Fund, Tarrytown FWC and Miami Metrozoo. 

Publications include:

Ogada, D.L. and P.M. Kibuthu. In press. Impacts of agriculture on the diet and productivity Mackinder’s eagle owls (Bubo capensis mackinderi) in Kenya. Biotropica

Ogada, D.L. In press. Agricultural practices, rural culture and the conservation of Mackinder’s eagle owls in Central Kenya. Proceedings of the 2007 International Owl Conference

Ogada, D.L. and P.M. Kibuthu. 2008. Conserving Mackinder’s eagle owls in farmlands of Kenya: assessing the influence of pesticide use, tourism and local knowledge of owl habits in protecting a culturally loathed species. Environmental Conservation 35(3): 252-260.

Ogada, D. L. 2008. Rural culture and the conservation of Mackinder’s eagle owls (Bubo capensis mackinderi) in Kenya. Notes from the Field. Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery 22(2): 158-160.

Ogada, D. 2008. Tackling the taboos: gaining community support for the conservation of an owl.  Africa Birds & Birding, Vol. 13, No. 5, Oct/Nov.

Ogada, D. 2004. Owls and ‘Taboo’. Swara, Magazine of the East African Wildlife Society, Vol. 27:3, Jul-Sep.