WANTED: INFORMATION ON KENTUCKY BARN OWLS I just wanted to let everyone know that we are very interested in any reports on nesting barn owls. We are conducting a statewide inventory of barn owl nests again in 2013 so that we may expand our research on this rare species. If you know of a barn owl nest and have not yet been communicating with me about it, please contact me, off of the listserve. I can be reached at kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx<mailto:kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx>. For the protection of the owls and the landowners, exact nesting locations and landowner information for barn owl nests is strictly confidential and will not be released to the public. Barn owls remain quite rare in Kentucky despite a large amount of suitable habitat. We currently know of only 25 nesting locations statewide. We are hoping to expand our nest inventory to include more nests in hopes to better understand the reasons for decline in this species. Barn owls can nest year-round in KY, though most of the nesting activity occurs from March-August. Barn owls pairs tend to become a bit more conspicuous this time of year as they return to nest sites and prepare for the coming nesting season. As many of you know, barn owls can nest in some very strange places including silos, grain bins, chimneys, hay lofts, attics, and shooting houses. We are also now collecting barn owl specimens to test for possible causes of decline. It's very important that we collect as many dead owls as possible for the study. Fresh specimens are preferred, but slightly decomposed specimens are still useful. Even if the cause of death is obvious (e.g. collision with vehicle) the specimen is still useful. I've found several just watching the roadsides. Please notify me if you find a dead barn owl so that we may use the specimen for our project. To be clear, it is not illegal to pick up a migratory bird carcass with the intentions of getting to it a federally permitted researcher/agency as soon as possible. However, it is illegal to keep a protected bird carcass for your own personal use. More info on barn owls can be found on our website at: http://fw.ky.gov/barnowls.asp Thanks very much, Kate Kate Heyden Avian Biologist Nongame Branch KY Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources #1 Sportsman's Lane Frankfort, KY 40601 Phone: 1-800-858-1549 ext. 4475 Fax: 502-564-4519 kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx<mailto:kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx> www.fw.ky.gov<http://www.fw.ky.gov/> Did you know... Department of Fish and Wildlife receives NO state tax dollars and manages wildlife for all citizens? Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachment, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender, by e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message. ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== When posting on BIRDKY, please close posts with your first and last name and your address (city or county). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post on BIRDKY, send e-mail to: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the KOS website at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos/default.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the KOS Photo Page to view photos of birds recently sighted in Kentucky: http://www.flickr.com/groups/kentucky_ornithological_society/pool * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison. E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx