Association of owls (Strigiformes) with forest stands and nesting suitability of micro-fragments in agricultural landscapes of Voronezh Oblast

In 2020–2024, route counts of owls were carried out in agricultural landscapes of Voronezh Oblast (19 routes of 10 km each, total 190 km). A total of 275 encounters of 7 species were recorded: long eared owl (Asio otus), short eared owl (Asio flammeus), tawny owl (Strix aluco), Ural owl (Strix uralensis), eagle owl (Bubo bubo), little owl (Athene noctua), and snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca). The long eared owl was the absolute dominant (62.9% of encounters, density 9.1 individuals per 10 km). The χ² test confirmed non random biotope associations: long eared and short eared owls prefer shelterbelts and ravine forests, while the tawny owl prefers upland oak forests and floodplain forests. A scoring system for nesting suitability of forest micro fragments was developed (I_int = G+Z+K, max 9). Upland oak forests and floodplain forests showed the highest suitability (8 points), while pine forests and agricultural landscapes the lowest (5 points). New regional trends were recorded: southward range expansion of the Ural owl, registration of the barn owl (Tyto alba) after a 109 year break, and a critical decline of the little owl and scops owl. Population dynamics fluctuated synchronously across years with a peak in 2022. The results support the need to preserve shelterbelts, hollow trees, and large forest tracts as key owl habitats in agricultural landscapes.