Long-eared Owl Asio otus breeding in a Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans colony: Reversed roles in protective nesting association?

Klaudia Litwiniak; Marcin Przymencki

doi:10.34080/os.v30.22033

Authors

Klaudia Litwiniak Poleska 37/17, 51-354 Wrocław, Poland
Marcin Przymencki University of Wroclaw

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34080/os.v30.22033

Keywords:

breeding association, breeding ecology, gull defense, nesting habitat, predator-free area

Abstract

We describe the event of Long-eared Owls Asio otus nesting on an island within a colony of Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans at the Mietków Reservoir (SW Poland). The owls nested in an old (possible corvid) nest in a willow and raised two owlets. They probably did not hunt gulls, neither adults nor chicks. We suggest that, in this case, the Long-eared Owls benefitted from breeding within a gull colony because of the added security against predators that the gulls provided.

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