New Tengmalm's owl pair at Hellabrunn Zoo

Hellabrunn Zoo is now home to a pair of the diminutive owls (about the size of blackbirds), which can now been seen in the synanthropic bird aviary. Their call, which consists of a series of four to ten hoots that gradually rise in pitch, makes these feathered residents very vocal birds. Tengmalm's owls are not considered endangered. Nonetheless, they are having increasing difficulty finding suitable nesting sites. The Tengmalm's owl is called “Raufußkauz” in German. While the term “rau” usually translates as “rough”, in this case the name has nothing to do with the nature of the bird’s plumage or vocalisation pitch: “rau” is an obsolete term for “fur” and refers to its densely feathered feet (i.e. furry foot owl). Its bright field of vision is framed by two dark lines beneath the eyes on either side of the beak. The plumage of the upperparts is chocolate brown with bold white flecking, while the underparts are whitish-grey with faded brown streaks. Tengmalm's owls are nocturnal animals. They have an excellent sense of hearing that enables them to locate their prey in complete darkness, before swooping down in stealth mode to take their victim by surprise. During the day, visitors can observe the birds perched on tree branches in the aviary. Tengmalm's owls tend to sleep throughout the day – often leaning against the tree trunk.

Habitat and lack of nest cavities

The Tengmalm's owl lives mostly in vast coniferous forest areas and in the mixed forests of mountain ranges such as the Alps. It nests mainly in abandoned black woodpecker cavities. Mixed forests or forests that feature a richly structured habitat comprising old woodland, reforested trees, fields and meadows provide the optimal conditions for thriving. However, deciduous forests can also provide a suitable habitat if they offer sufficient open space for nocturnal hunting as well as thickets for protection against enemies. The decline in Tengmalm‘s owl populations is largely due to habitat loss. Forest road construction measures such as deforestation have resulted in the loss of hollow tree populations and shrink or fragment the owl’s natural habitat.

Zoo director, Rasem Baban, has a few tips for visitors who would like to observe the small birds in the aviary: "For the Tengmalm's owls, our visitors will need a bit of patience to spot the animals. The colour pattern of their plumage makes them blend in with the branches during the day and they only become active at dusk or at night. So a tip from us: don't look with your eyes, but with your ears. The animals have a distinctive call, which is especially audible in late winter or early spring. So we recommend that visitors spend a little extra time with them. It will definitely be worth their while."

Carsten Zehrer, curator and head of the zoology department at Hellabrunn Zoo, is delighted about the new pair: "There are currently around 2,500 breeding pairs in Germany, but they are threatened by the lack of suitable habitat. With our birds, we aim to raise awareness of the situation of native wild owls. Because it’s not only the lack of natural cavities that is affecting the populations, the species is also threatened by the decline in small mammals and small birds due to habitat loss. Tengmalm's owls feed mainly on small rodents such as voles and on smaller birds. In southern Bavaria, the species can be found primarily in the Alps as well as in the region around Munich. North of the Danube, evidence of individuals and pairs has so far been seen on the low mountain ranges from the Franconian Forest to the Bavarian Forest, Odenwald to Rhön, Steigerwald, Hassberge and Frankenalb."