Repopulation of the Barn Owl in the Azagra vineyards

Jul 18, 2024

Repoblacion Lechuza Comun Bodegas Manzanos

Bodegas Manzanos announces a pioneering collaboration with the Tierra Rapaz Foundation in the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Repopulation Project in the vineyards of Azagra (Navarra).

In a joint effort to promote sustainable agriculture and balance local ecosystems, Bodegas Manzanos and the Tierra Rapaz Foundation in collaboration with the University of Navarra have launched the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Repopulation Project in the vineyards of Azagra (Navarra). The main objective of this project is the reintroduction of the Barn Owl as a biocontroller of agricultural pests, thus reducing the dependence on pesticides and promoting biodiversity.

Project Motivation: In the last decades, the way of farming has changed drastically due to globalization, technological advancement and population growth. Crops are now more extensive and require modern, industrialized machinery. This change has led to the disappearance of small tool houses, essential for barn owl farming, and their replacement by enclosed hangars for storing large machines.
In addition, agricultural pest control has been based on large-scale spraying with pesticides, affecting both wildlife and human health. Historically, populations of micromammals, such as the Mediterranean vole (Microtus duodecimcostatus) and the vole (Microtus arvalis), were naturally controlled by predators such as the barn owl and the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). However, human action has caused a significant decline in the populations of these predators due to the destruction of their habitats and the use of poisons.

This decline has generated ecological imbalances, such as the increase in vole populations in the Ribera de Navarra, causing significant damage to crops and economic losses. The decrease in natural predators has exacerbated these problems, highlighting the need for sustainable pest control methods.

Project Goal: The objective is to repopulate the barn owl in the vineyards of Azagra, Navarra, to act as a biocontroller of micromammals that may become agricultural pests, thus reducing the use of pesticides. It is hoped to extend the repopulation to other areas of Navarra and La Rioja Baja in the coming years. This approach, promoted by entities such as INTIA and GANASA of the Government of Navarra, has been successful in controlling voles by installing nest boxes for natural predators.

Project Summary: The project will focus on the release of barn owls bred in captivity using the “hacking” method. This method has proven to be effective in other places in the Peninsula, although its impact on the adaptation of birds reared “ex situ” has not been scientifically studied. The project seeks to establish a rearing protocol that maximizes the survival of the released owls in their new environment.

This project represents a significant effort towards a more sustainable agriculture and reaffirms the commitment of Bodegas Manzanos and the Tierra Rapaz Foundation to the protection of the environment and the preservation of native species. We are excited to be part of this valuable collaboration and are confident that it will bring lasting benefits to the region and its ecosystems.

Join us on this path to sustainability and biodiversity!

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Repoblación Lechuza Común - Bodegas Manzanos

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