Endangered owl sheds “highest risk” label |08 February 2005

The decision to remove the owl – which is found only in Seychelles and called syer in Creole  – from the list came after a three-year survey on populations of the rare bird carried out by Nature Seychelles and funded by the Global Environment Facility.

BirdLife International recently made the proposal to the IUCN to move the owl one rung down its list to “endangered” status, based on the data supplied by Nature Seychelles.

“Its reclassification says much about our increased knowledge of the species, and also about the confidence that the international scientific community now has about its prospects for survival,” said Rachel Bristol of Nature Seychelles.

The survey revealed the population of Scops Owls to be between 250-320 birds, more than was previously estimated. More about the bird’s diet and nesting habits also came out of the research, which indicated that both its population and habitat were stable.

Another encouraging sign is that 60 percent of the range in which Scops Owls were found is believed to be protected within the Morne Seychellois National Park.

The three-year owl census involved a team of researchers who periodically camped out in the highland forests of Mahe. Given how difficult the owls are to see, the researchers used taped calls of the owls throughout the night and awaited responses.

The syer takes its Creole name from one of its calls – resembling a sawing sound – which it makes at dawn, dusk and after dark.

The owl was actually declared extinct in 1958 but was re-discovered in 1960.

"We are delighted that in the light of our research, the World Conservation Union has been able to ‘downlist’ the Seychelles Scops Owl, and this means that it is less likely to become extinct", said Ms Bristol. "We hope that other species here can soon join it, thanks to the efforts of conservationists and local communities."

According to Nature Seychelles, the rare Seychelles Fody or tok tok is likely to follow the Scops Owl onto the “endangered” list. The Fody is currently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.