Breeding ecology of the Scops owl (otus scops) at the METU campus and Eymir Lake

Nest boxes are a practical method to support and study the ecology of many cavity-dependent species. In this project, we installed and monitored 70 wooden nest boxes to study Scops Owls (Otus scops) around Ankara, Turkey. In February 2017, we placed 40 nest boxes on trees in the Middle East Technical University (METU) northern campus and 30 nest boxes around Lake Eymir. We collected reproductive data during visits at 5-10 day intervals in the breeding seasons of 2017 and 2018. In 2017, 11 owl pairs nested (7 pairs were successful) and 16 pairs nested in 2018 (13 pairs were successful). A total of 97 eggs were laid in the two-year study; 87 (89.7%) eggs hatched, and 64 (66.0%) chicks successfully fledged from the nests. Mean clutch size (all nests combined) was 3.88±0.78 eggs. The causes of nest failure in 2017 were: predation (2 nests); eggs did not hatch (1 nest); and unknown cause (1 nest). The causes of nest failure in 2018 were: nest abandonment (2 nests); and chick death after hatching (1 nest). Number of fledged young per successful nest were 2.43±0.53 for 2017, and 3.62±1.15 for 2018. Estimated first egg hatch median dates for 2017 and 2018 were 24 May and 10 May, respectively. The considerable difference between years in both breeding phenology and fledging success are likely a result of unusually favorable weather conditions in 2018. Our study provides the first data on the breeding ecology of this species in Turkey.