Little owl reintroduction: First Munich-born offspring arrives in Brandenburg

Hellabrunn Zoo is participating in a project with the Landschafts-Förderverein Nuthe-Nieplitz-Niederung e.V. to reintroduce the little owl to the Nuthe-Nieplitz Nature Park. 

The little owl gradually disappeared from Germany due to factors such as intensive farming and habitat loss. The association now aims to change that with the launch of the Little Owl project and the help of participating zoos. Approximately the size of a pigeon, the little owl was considered a symbol of wisdom in ancient times. In Greek mythology, it accompanies Athena, the virgin goddess of wisdom, who was often depicted with a little owl. Hellabrunn Zoo has been home to a pair of little owls since 2021. The birds have successfully reproduced in their first breeding year. Their offspring, a healthy female fledgling, was brought to Brandenburg last week. There the young female will become part of the Little Owl project in the Nuthe-Nieplitz Nature Park, a reintroduction project for the species. The dramatic population decline is largely due to factors such as the clearing of orchards, intensive agricultural practices, the decline in hay meadows and pastures and the renovation and modernisation of old buildings and houses.

Planning a stable population in Nuthe-Nieplitz Nature Park

With the reintroduction project, the lowland conservation association wants to make an important contribution to preserving and expanding the diversity of native animals and plants. Accompanied by nature-friendly agriculture without the use of pesticides in the region as well as the traditional rural structures and forms of land use, this initiative is particularly promising.

To ensure the survival of the young owls in the wild, they must first learn to hunt in special aviaries set up at the release sites, where they will gradually become accustomed to their future habitat. The aim of the project is to establish a stable population of the formerly native little owl with 150 breeding pairs and thus increase biological diversity in the Nuthe-Nieplitz Nature Park. The lowland conservation association, together with many supporters (birdwatchers, volunteers, farmers and land owners), is committed to the reintroduction of the little owl.

Support and strategies for reintroduction

Hellabrunn Zoo supports the Brandenburg reintroduction project by donating a juvenile little owl. The birds that are transferred from zoos are not immediately released into the wild, but are either first prepared for natural habitat survival or socialised with other individuals in order to breed offspring on site, and then released back into the wild in the coming year.

"The little owl is a synanthropic bird that needs sufficient food all year long as well as tree cavities or building niches to nest and retreat during the day. In 2021, a survey of the nature park recorded 28 breeding sites, 12 breeding successes and 34 young birds in the area. We very much hope that our female will be able to contribute to the ongoing successful reintroduction of these birds," says Carsten Zehrer, head of the zoology at Hellabrunn Zoo.

For zoo director Rasem Baban, the new reintroduction project represents an extension of the species conservation programmes at the zoo: "The protection and preservation of native species is immensely important to us. We therefore welcome the initiative of the Landschafts-Förderverein Nuthe-Nieplitz-Niederung e.V. and look forward to future breeding and release successes".

Bird lovers can also tune in to the latest episode of the zoo podcast Mia San Tier to discover more fascinating facts about the reintroduction project. Released on Friday 28 October, the episode is now available for download on the zoo website as well as on Spotify, Deezer and Apple Podcast.