Barn Owl Banding

Come meet and learn about the “farmer’s friend” – the Barn Owl – and watch as Dan Mummert, Wildlife Diversity Biologist for the PA Game Commission, puts identifying metal bands on the legs of Barn Owl nestlings as part of the Game Commission’s Barn Owl Conservation Initiative. This effort is an attempt to reverse the decline of Barn Owls – a species of Greatest Conservation Need in Pennsylvania – by gathering more information on what these amazing owls need to survive.

Kauffman Orchards in Lancaster County is the only known property in Pennsylvania to consistently have two successfully nesting Barn Owl pairs, and this fall one of these pairs produced a rare second clutch of nestlings. Dan will discuss how Barn Owls and other grassland birds are in steep decline and how their persistence in Pennsylvania is closely tied to the preservation of our agricultural landscapes.  Come and learn about these magnificent and mysterious birds and see them up close.

The banding will take place on Friday, November 18 at 11:00 am.  The address is 53 S. Weavertown Road in Ronks, PA.  Follow the driveway at this address until you come to a grass field in front of several buildings.  You may want to bring a lawn chair to sit on, and certainly bring your camera.  The banding and informational program will last about an hour.  Dan will gladly answer questions during the program.

If Dan determines that a weather-related rescheduling is necessary, we will post that information on our social media feeds