If residents see or hear an owl, they will send boys to chase it away or stone it. Luckily for me, I found a local farmer and conservationist, Paul Muriithi, who has.
Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery 22(2):158–160, 2008 ’ 2008 by the Association of Avian Veterinarians
Notes From the Field
Rural Culture and the Conservation of Mackinders Eagle Owls (Bubo capensis mackinderi ) in Kenya Darcy L. Ogada, PhD Abstract: The author describes her fieldwork studying a population of Mackinders eagle owls that live adjacent to small-scale farms in rural Kenya. Her study investigated the effects of farming practices on the diet and breeding ecology of the owls. She documented local people’s attitudes toward owls since owls are taboo throughout Africa. She describes a typical day in the field, the community aspect of her project, her unique experiences studying owls in Kenya, and promotion of owl tourism.
‘‘Kwa Niatia,’’ I say a greeting in the local Kikuyu dialect to a local farmer. My assistant Paul and I are crossing his ‘‘shamba’’ or farm to reach a cliff inhabited by a pair of Mackinders eagle owls (Bubo capensis mackinderi). It’s hot this morning, about 30uC (86uF), which is not unusual for equatorial areas, but we’re at over 6000 ft. We’re here to check whether this pair of owls is breeding and to collect any pellets they might have regurgitated in the past month. This is part of our work studying Mackinders eagle owls, a regionally threatened species, in central Kenya (Fig 1). These owls are normally found in areas of high elevation near ravines or other rocky areas. In Kenya, these owls inhabit high-elevation protected areas, such as Mt Kenya and Aberdares National Parks. They are also found in the central highlands in agricultural fields and grasslands in the few areas where humans will tolerate them. Owls are taboo in most African cultures and this poses an enormous problem for the conservation of owls outside of protected areas across the continent. The belief about owls is that the sight or sound of an owl indicates impending misfortune. People believe if an owl lands on your house, someone inside will die. If residents see or hear an owl, they will send boys to chase it away or stone it. Luckily for me, I found a local farmer and conservationist, Paul Muriithi, who has worked diligently over the years to convince his
local community about the benefits of protecting owls after he witnessed his community persecuting these magnificent creatures almost to the point of local extinction. The strength of the taboo against owls is such that finding an African willing to work with these birds, such as Paul, is extremely rare.
From the National Museums of Kenya, Department of Zoology, Ornithology Section, PO Box 1629, Sarit Centre, Nairobi, 00606, Kenya.
Figure 1. The author holding an adult female Mackinders eagle owl.
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Figure 2. View of typical nesting territory for Mackinders eagle owls within the study area in central Kenya.
With Paul’s efforts within the community to protect the remaining owls well underway, we joined together to study the ecology of these owls living adjacent to areas of high agricultural productivity and human populations (Fig 2). Our goals are to understand how farming practices influence the diet and breeding success of this owl and, in turn, to determine whether the owls are affecting rodent populations within the nearby farms. To do this, we are live-trapping rodents every month and marking them with ear tags so we will know the recapture rate from day to day and month to month. Then, we will know of any fluctuations in either rodent abundance or species diversity. By collecting owl pellets that contain the remains of earlier meals, we can compare what the owls are eating to the abundance and diversity of the rodent prey population. From this, we can tell whether the owls are switching between different prey species when 1 species becomes more abundant, thus having a possible controlling effect on rodent pests. Finally, we are collecting blood and tissue samples for use in DNA analysis. This owl is 1 of 3 subspecies of the Cape eagle owl (Bubo capensis), which is found in southern Africa. Scientists have debated whether these subspecies are in fact independent species in their own right, and our study is contributing valuable DNA and behavioral evidence that will ultimately answer this question. In addition to the scientific data we are collecting, the project is strongly focused on long-term conservation of Mackinders eagle owls in human-dominated landscapes in which they face continued persecution. To accomplish this, we are working in close cooperation with local farmers who have granted us access to our sites
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Figure 3. The author and Paul Muriithi looking for a Mackinders eagle owl at a nest cliff. An interested farmer stands to the right. Note the close proximity to the cliff of the maize in the foreground.
because all the nest sites reside on private land (Fig 3). Paul has developed a network of ‘‘owl informants’’ throughout the surrounding communities who keep the project aware of the movements of resident owls and of any new nest sites. By instilling this type of local ownership of the project, we can see the changes in people’s attitudes toward owls on their land. Although many farmers still cannot see the broader biodiversity implications of conserving owls, they now understand the role owls can play in controlling pest species in their fields. Working within communities does not come without trials and tribulations, but it also brings a much deeper understanding and respect of cultural values, economic hardships, and the day-to-day life of rural Kenyans. Many of our daily travels and interactions with locals also bring a lot of laughs. While traveling by 14-seater public transportation, otherwise known as ‘‘matatus,’’ Paul was recently privy to a conversation amongst fellow passengers about ‘‘that guy that studies owls.’’ Of course they were talking about him and his work without realizing he was among them. The conversation ended with someone proclaiming ‘‘that guy died,’’ the understanding being that he died because of the taboo associated with owls. It was at this point that Paul finally spoke up and explained to his shocked fellow passengers that he was in fact alive and well! Because I’m white and an obvious outsider, people have all kinds of misconceptions about me and our work with owls. Many times people have offered to sell me owl eggs or live owls. They want to know about my life in America, believing I can’t possibly live in Kenya
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and that I commute monthly between the United States and Kenya. Mostly though, people have come to accept that I am studying the owls and with this has come many gracious offerings of tea, eggs, and even husbands! Finally, our project is promoting the site for avi-tourism. A single year brought 1200 birding
tourists, which generates income for the local farmers from the fee visitors pay to be taken and shown the owls. In achieving this goal, we have developed a website, www.owlspot.com, which we hope will encourage more people to stop and visit the owls and learn more about their unique natural history.
