Ornithologists in Poland were in doubt when they spotted what they thought was a pair of Eurasian scops owls in the southeastern region of the country, TVP World reported.
The small migratory owl is rarely spotted, but scientists weren't quite sold on what they had witnessed.
Through thorough observation, it was revealed that the owls were, in fact, Eurasian scops owls. According to TVP World, the ornithologists hung recorders in trees near the sighting to confirm the owls' identity.
In the recordings, the animals were observed breeding. Later, two Eurasian scops owl chicks were sighted. This occurrence was "the first recorded breeding of the species in the country [Poland]," TVP World said.
According to Animal Diversity Web, the Eurasian scops owl migrates through Africa, Asia, and Europe. Because of its wide habitat range, the owl species is marked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as "Least Concern" when it comes to its conservation status, but numbers are declining.
Hunting and habitat destruction from urban expansion have negatively impacted the Eurasian scops owl, though artificial nest boxes have been implemented as substitutes for their usual tree cavities, Animal Diversity Web said.
The Eurasian scops owl plays an important role ecologically. According to My Bird Buddy, it primarily eats insects like moths and beetles. Its diet allows it to control insect populations in its ecosystem.
Larger birds and mammals prey on the Eurasian scops owl, My Bird Buddy said, further maintaining ecological balance and thus indirectly protecting human food sources.
This cycle maintains a healthy, balanced, and biodiverse ecosystem.
Because of the key role the Eurasian scops owl plays in the environment in Africa, Asia, and Europe, the first sighting of a breeding pair in Poland is cause for celebration.
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The sighting offers hope for a growing population of birds in the area.
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