Barn Owls

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  • Created by: LU,KTGFVW
  • Created on: 23-04-17 11:10

Predator/prey interactions

all organisms in a habitat interact with eachother. a change in the size of one organisms population effeects the population size of the other organisms. there is a strong link with this and predator prey interactions. predators are adapted to hunt prey and prey are adapted to evade predators.

if there is a growth in the population size of prey the population size of predaors will grow as well because they have more food so more of their young survive. 

predators affect the population size  of prey in two ways

  • lethal
  • non-lethal

the effect depends on wether the predator is selective or not. it is important to know the prey exchange rate - the rate at which prey moves in and out of an area. food chans are good for showing the feeding relationship in a habitat.

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Barn Owls

scientific name: Tyto alba

  • Animalia Chordata Aves Strigiformes Tyonidae Tyto alba

barn owls are opportunnist and will hunt over open countryside. their ideal habitats is open grassland with a thick sward and deep litter layer supporting a high density of small mammals. in a average year a breeding pair of barn owls might eat about 5000 small mammals. a small chhange in the number of small mammals can have an effect on the success of breeding barn owls. they have about two pelts a day.

compared to most birds barn owls have a very low wing loading - meaning that they can hover and fly slowly.

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Barn Owls - adaptations

Feathers:

  • very soft so quiet flight
  • cantry air for smooth air flow
  • primary wing has hook to be more quiet
  • not water proof

Hearing:

  • have heart shaped face which directs sound towards their ears
  • ears are near their eyes
  • ears are in different positions to help locate sounds
  • good at hearing high frequency sounds

Camoflage:

  • well camoflaged to grasslands
  • white underbelly makes them less visable from below
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Barn Owls - adaptations continued

Eye sight:

  • twice as large and sensative as human eyes
  • ignores non-moving objects
  • sudden bright light can stun them
  • good in day light

Legs, toes and talons:

  • helps them catch prey
  • kill prey by constriction not talons
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Barn Owls - conservation

barns owls are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside act and also by local council action plans. in the 19th century there was a loss of barn owl nesting sites which caused a reduction in barn owl numbers. now you can put up barn owl boxes as long as the builing they are placed on are 3 metres or higher. there are 26 barn owl boxes in swansea

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