Blakiston's Fish Owl female. © Valery Shokhrin.

With intensive resource exploitation of the region (mainly timber resources) the ecological niche of large owls changes dramatically. Owl pairs, which are able to inhabit transformed ecosystems, need to be located, individually identified, monitored and protected. We propose to employ sonogram technique for individual identification of Blakiston’s Fish Owl. Database of sonograms open wide possibilities for study of territory size and its seasonal changes, survival, and productivity for conservation purposes. To improve habitat capacity we suggest to build and to erect artificial nests suitable for Blakiston’s Fish Owl.

Survival of pairs that live permanently in the transformed landscapes, is extremely important for entire species survival because modern tendency is directed to resource exploitation and subsequent transformation of ecosystems of the region. Human population increases here, and the future belongs to the species that can co-exist with people. Our results achieved under the first Rufford Small Grant in 2006-07 show vulnerable features of sex ratio in surveyed population. Equal number of pairs and unpaired males indicate either lack of females in our study area or absence of suitable nesting habitats. In the last case females should disperse out of study area. We propose building and erecting of 25 artificial nests for Blakiston’s Fish Owl on the rivers Kievka, Chernaya, Margaritovka and Avvakumovka, all in South Primorye, Russia. We also propose to elaborate and to test vocal signature method for the individual identification of Blakiston’s Fish Owl in the field.