Assessment of rat damage surrounding the watch tower areas and nest box occupation by owl

Abstract

A study was carried out to assess the rat damage around the watching tower and the effectiveness of nest box for owl occupation at Rajshahi and Gazipur district. Watching towers were set at the field and nest box were installed in different trees above 3.7 – 4.5 m from the ground level in both the locations. Wheat, barley, potato, sweet potato and groundnut crop damaged by rat were assessed at 0-25, 26-50 and 51-75 m apart around the watching tower areas. Nest box occupancy was also recorded for nesting and roosting by owl. Percent rat damage in different growth stages of wheat and barley differed significantly in active burrow count methods and cut uncut methods around the owl watching tower areas. Significantly the lowest number of active burrows (0.6) was recorded in 0-25-m distance around the watching tower followed by 25-50-m distance and the highest number of active burrows was observed in 50-75 m distance from watching tower both in Rajshahi and Gazipur. Rat damaged and number of active burrows were higher as the distance increased from the watching tower areas. In Rajshahi, 55 % nest boxes were occupied by owl whereas 50 % nest boxes were occupied by owl in Gazipur. In Gazipur maximum nest boxes were occupied by spotted owlet (Athene brama) and in Rajshahi most of the nest boxes occupied by barn owl (Tyto alba).

Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 49(4): 373-383, December 2024