Cyprus’s Game and Fauna Service has been running a systematic monitoring and protection programme for the barn owl (Tyto alba) for more than 25 years, installing over 800 artificial nests across the island in a bid to harness one of nature’s most effective pest controllers.
A single pair can catch several thousand rodents a year, reducing crop damage and cutting the need for chemical rodenticides — benefiting both the environment and public health, the Service said. The bird feeds almost exclusively on mice and rats, making it, in the Service’s words, “a valuable ally for agriculture and the biodiversity of Cyprus.”
The programme operates under the National Action Plan of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, which aims to conserve and strengthen barn owl populations island-wide. It is part of a broader national effort: when nest boxes installed by BirdLife Cyprus, the Department of Forests and the Department of Agriculture are added to those of the Game and Fauna Service, the total across Cyprus exceeds 1,124, according to BirdLife Cyprus. Since 2021, rodenticide use across the island has fallen by 52%, BirdLife Cyprus reports.
Research carried out by the Game and Fauna Service in cooperation with the State General Laboratory found rodenticide residues in 80% of dozens of dead raptor samples analysed. “The toxic substances accumulate in the food chain and affect non-target species, such as birds of prey and other wildlife,” the Service said.
During a recent nest inspection, the Service recorded dead rodents inside a nest, confirming the barn owl’s active contribution to rodent control. Barn owl chicks were also observed, indicating successful reproduction in the artificial nests.
“A pair of barn owls can hunt several thousand rodents annually, reducing crop damage and limiting the need for chemical rodenticides,” the Service said.
The Game and Fauna Service said it would continue its monitoring, management and public awareness activities.
