Eastern Grass Owls roosting in a wheat crop in inland New South Wales

Abstract

This note details two roosting Eastern Grass Owls Tyto longimembris flushed from a wheat crop by a combine harvester near Bellata in the Brigalow Belt South bioregion (northern inland plains) of New South Wales, in October–November 2013. Despite the observer searching on foot in a remnant of unharvested crop 9 × 500 m, a Grass Owl, known to be within the crop, evaded detection by walking, until flushed by the harvester. The flushed Owls retreated to a nearby dry gully vegetated with tall ground-cover. No nest and no owlets were found in the crop. The farmer considered that Grass Owls have occurred in his corn, sorghum and wheat crops over decades, although they appear to be absent in winter, after crops have been harvested. Crops may provide food (rodents) and roost-sites for the Owls, and/or may substitute for lost natural wetland habitats in the region. Further investigation of the Grass Owl’s occurence in the sheep-wheat belt is warranted.