Distribution of the Little Owl Athene noctua in Italy

Distribution of the Little Owl Athene noctua in Italy

In Italy, the Little Owl Athene noctua is a sedentary species but locally, and especially in winter and autumn, some wandering displacements are possible. Sometimes autumn drifts can be considered as migratory.

Wide is the distribution on all the Mainland, but it can also be found in the isles like Sardinia, Sicily and others (Casini L. in Meschini E. & S.Frugis, 1993). On the contrary in Corsica, Little Owl suffers from Scops Owl (Otus Scops) competition and only two nest-sites (the last one during year 2000) are known in the last century (Thibault & Bonaccorsi, 1999, Mastrorilli, 2000) both located in the middle-east plain, near Alerià.

It is a well distributed bird of prey in lowland areas and hillsides, with rare occurrences in zones of low mountains. These facts explain some gaps in the distribution of the Little Owl along the Alpine Arc.

Nevertheless during the last years some nest-sites have been noticed at higher altitudes: 1000 l.s.m. in Liguria (Andreotti in AAVV, 1989), at 1100 l.s.m. in Piedmont (Mostini in Mingozzi et al., 1988) and the highest in Western Europe has been noticed on the Orobic Alps in Lombardia at 1230 m l.s.m. (Mastrorilli, 2001).
In Italy censuses of Little Owl distribution are not frequent but on lowland areas smaller densities have been noticed, particularly where intensive mono-species agriculture is applied.

The Little Owl has a preference for open environment and along tilled fields, settling on rural buildings, hollowed trees (recently regressing) and garrets in town houses.
Some breeding sites, located in towers and bell-towers, following recent restorations have been abandoned.

In the last years the Little Owl has become the most common bird of prey of Italian towns; such growth is due to the high number of Urban Parks and wooded boulevards (with preference for species such as Poplar, Plane and Horse-chestnut), to the urbanisation of country buildings and to the favourable characteristics of historical centres (old buildings with several hollows) and new industrial areas.

Industrial buildings recently built are often used as breeding sites (previously unseen) taking advantage of roof air-spaces (Mastrorilli, 1999)

Due to the different weather conditions, along the Peninsula, there are several areas that can be colonised by the Little Owl. In Po Plain, Little Owl diffusion can be strongly affected by tough winters (snow and very low temperatures) causing a significant population decrease.

In central-southern Italy, environment and weather conditions are typically Mediterranean, thus more suitable to this night-time bird of prey ecology and for this reason populations are more stable.

Especially in southern Italy there are the most favourable conditions (suitable weather, major food availability, suitable habitat) for Little Owl growth, but due to the shortage of ornithological research we can not provide a real analysis.

On numerous in-town censuses, Little Owl presence has been certified in 52 big Italian towns.

In Table I data relates to the presence in some Italian towns.

Studies about Little Owl distribution in natural areas (out of the city) are rare; among them we can mention the studies in Table II.