Wolfgang Scherzinger

bavarian forest national park · reseauch and conservation

Mobbing is a common strategy against predators in Corvid birds. On the morning of 21 March 2022, we observed an Eagle Owl mobbed by more than 103 Oriental Magpies in Beijing Olympic Park, Beijing, China. Based on an 8-day line transect survey, we estimated that the mobbing group could have come from an area with a radius of about 480–675 m. To our...

Woodpeckers became evolved in natural forests, rich on decaying and dead wood. By a rich offer of such specific requisites we have the chance, to maintain all the European woodpecker secies not only in strict reserves but in managed forests also.

History of developing a strict aim for management in Bavarian forest national park

in ancestral times, wildlife was able to open the dense forest, by grazing , scaling, and damage of trees.

Main animals in the forest optimize their habitat-conditions by active management of structures, vegetation and breeding sites - functioning as eco-enginiers.

Effects of woodland fauna to diversity of structures, vegetation and specific habitat-requisites

Urgent requirements for the conservation and support of Austrian biodiversity: A position paper of conservation experts. The Zoological-Botanical Society sent out a questionnaire regarding biodiversity con�servation in Austria to a number of colleagues. The initiative was inspired by an in�ternal discussion on the question of conservation of proces...

Der Stammbaum der Eulenvögel reicht seit der Abspaltung der „Nachtgreifvögel“ von den „Taggreifvögeln“ wenigstens 60 Mio. Jahre zurück, wobei die Lebensform Eule nur einmal entwickelt wurde (monophyletisch). Nach Fossilfunden erfolgte die Aufspaltung in die beiden Familien Tytonidae (Schleiereulen-artige) und Strigidae (Eigentliche Eulen) im Miozän...

Detailed description of juvenile developement of Bubop bubo, the European Eagle Owl, in concern to locomotoric behaviour, vocalization, growth of body mass etc. in comparison to nestlings of Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) ans Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus).

In cientific taxonomy in rare cases plants and birds got identic names. So Glaucidium passerinum means the Pygmy Owl or a blue flower from Japan also. In this paper the varation of the meaning of Glaux or glaukos and Strix or strigescens gets interpreted in its greek and latin origin.

in rare cases owls will breed hybrids in the field, what could be a risk for conservation. But in several wildlife parks and falconries owls get hand-reared and wrongly imprinted, what increases the chance of hybridisation. The papaer lists about 18 cases of hybrids between different species and even different genes.

Variability in plumage pattern in Tengmalm´s Owl is surprisingly wide, but usually without reddish feathers - as in Boreal Owl of North America. The paper describes an exceptional case of a reddish Tengmalm´s Owl from central Austria.

As a very rare variante a reddish Tengmalm´s Owl was confirmed by a photo in a Central Austria. The paper compares different patterns of breast feathers within the distribution area in Europe and Northern Amerika.

Owls phascinate everybody, and so raptor shows regularly use owls to attract visitors. But when hand-reared, imprinted to human keeper and fed with low quality food to keep the birds "tame", These owls have no value for conservation or breeding, and mostly are stressed intensively by flying during daylight in the show.

Hybrids of owls (Strigidae) rarely occur in the field, but quite often in captivity, especially when the patent-owls are hand-reared and imprinted to a wrong species. The paper describes 18 cases of hybrids, some within the same genus but some even between different genera.

The global loss of animal species and their functions in ecosystems could get curtailed promisingly by measures of artificial support, reconstruction or founding of local populations. For optimizing such conservational projects as well as to prevent undesirable releases expert-groups within IUCN published "guidelines for reintroduction" in 2013, wi...

Ur- und Naturwälder sind seit frühester Zeit mystische, sagenumwobene Rückzugsorte und unablässig sprudelnde Quellen der Inspiration. Rund die Hälfte der über 11.300 Hektar umfassenden Fläche des Nationalparks Gesäuse ist von Wäldern bedeckt und prägt die Lebensräume dieser imposanten Ostalpen-Region. In elf knapp 200 Seiten umfassenden Beiträgen b...

Natural structures and overaged trees are the key for a natural diversity of species. Conservation management in commercial forestry should integrate such criticial elements - in combination with strict forest reserves.

Abstract In autumn of 1869, Father A. David collected several owls in western Sichuan/China. Sharpe (1875) recognized a new species in one of these birds and named it Syrnium davidi. Since this time, onl very few records and observations had been made, so that even recent publications had to har back to original descriptions of the type from the Pa...

During 1995-2004, we studied the nest site selection of the Chinese grouse Bonasa sewerzowi at Lianhuashan, Gansu, China. Of the 103 nests that we found, 56% were at the base of deciduous trees, mainly willow Salix spp. and birch Betula utilis, and 40% were at the base of coniferous trees. The Chinese grouse favoured northern and eastern slopes wit...

Ural Owl was extinct in Bohemian Forest since about 90 years. By breeding owls in captivity, reare them by their own parents, and release them in the Woods a new Population could get founded.

The Lianhuashan Nature Reserve in China is home to many plant and animal species. But, as the example of the Chinese grouse shows, this habitat is under threat. Only the determined protection of the mountain forests of Central Asia can ensure the future of this unique biocoenosis

Im chinesischen Lianhuashan-Reservat sind viele Tier- und Pflanzenarten zu Hause. Doch wie das Beispiel des Chinahaselhuhns zeigt, ist dieser Lebensraum bedroht. Nur der konsequente Schutz der Bergwälder Zentralasiens kann die Zukunft einzigartiger Lebensgemeinschaften sichern.

Das Mosaik-Zyklus-Konzept ist ein Interpretationsansatz zum besseren Verständnis langfristiger Entwicklungen von Lebensräumen und Populationen, der sich auf sehr unterschiedliche Betrachtungs-Maßstäbe dynamischer Systeme anwenden läßt, von Algenaufwuchs an Bachsteinen oder Borkenstrukturen der Waldbäume bis zu Totholzverteilung in Waldbeständen und...

The native wolf population was exterminated in the area during the second half of the 19 th century. There were scarce data on wolf occurrence in the first half of the 20 th century. Eight animals escaped from captivity in 1976. Altogether 16 animals were shot during following years 1976–1989. Since 1990 there is increase of findings with different...

Natural development of un-managed forests does not follow a certain, teleonomic pattern, but may be interrupt by destructive disturbances. Foresters and conservationists usually aim to minimise effects of such desasters for endangered species. But in a broader scale natural dynamics also creates new structures and habitats, and therfore may enrich...

Hermann Remmert projected the concept of-long-term-development in natural forests (created by Hans Leibundgut) on a landscape-wide scale, to show, that successions, old growth and dyie-back phases are not uniform, but scattered in local plots - like a giant mosaik. As the phase of development in a single locality is de-synchronic and different , co...

We report the first population ecology study of the endangered Chinese grouse (Bonasa sewerzowi). The study population was stable during 1995–2000. Annual rates of survival were 0.64 for adults and only 0.17 for chicks to 13 weeks of age. Reproductive parameters were 6.1 eggs/clutch, 63% nest success, and overall 3.6 chicks hatched/female/year. The...

Hazel Grouse cocks usually do not take part in rearing the chicks. However, in a large aviary, equipped with specific habitat elements, a male actively brooding its one-week-old chicks could be observed. In comparison to similar observations from literature, sporadic investment of cocks in brood-care leads to the suggestion that this behaviour, typ...

Traditionally conservational management protects single species, specific qualities of habitas and ecosystems, by blocking any change. But nature by itself is dynamic, and change is a natural phenomenon. The new idea of protecting the "real nature" by free processes - so called hands off management - allows absolut new aspects of natural developmen...

Experiences with own projects of reintroduction of several species of birds confirm the importance of sientific criteria for management.

Wald entspricht in Mitteleuropa der natürlichen Vegetationsdecke. Aus dem Vergleich zwischen Wald in Bewirtschaftung bzw. Wald in Schutzgebieten und der Vielfalt an Entwicklungsphasen, Strukturen, Ressourcen und Lebensraum-bestimmenden Prozessen eines potentiellen “Urwaldes” auf identischem Standort werden Naturschutz-Leitbilder abgeleitet, die sic...

The first national Park in Germany was foundet at the Border of Bavaria and Bohemia/Cech Republik in 1970. As this 130 km2 area of woodland war used, logged and managed before for more than 100 years, the aim of management was, to protect the relicts of old growth forest and to develop younger stands to natural forests. But induced by a wind blow i...

Birds and mammals may influence long-time development of woodland. Conservational strategies traditionally try to minimize or even avoid such zoogenic impact. But as most of such activities, like browsing, bark-scaling, excavating of treetrunks, digging in soil, and even killing extensive tree-stands, follow species specific life-strategies, such I...

Zusammenfassung Zwischen 2. und 10. Mai 1997, dem Höhepunkt territorialer Aktivität, wurden im Lianhuashan-Reservat (Gansu, China) Territorial- und Werbeverhalten anhand von 18 farbberingten und besenderten Chinahaselhühnern mittels Ton- und Videotechnik verfolgt. Die Hähne markieren ihre Reviere durch instrumentale Flügelgeräusche, die durch Flatt...

Field observations, sound and video recordings of the rare endemic Chinese Grouse were carried out during May 2 and 10, 1997, the optimal time to study display, in the Lianhuashan reserve (Gansu province) at altitudes between 2800 and 3200 m a.s.l. We found the density in spring extraordinarily high: 15 occupied territories/km2 in the best studied...

Woodpeckers are dependent on wood-boring insects and therefore on dead and down wood. Diversity and density of woodpeckers in a forest stand therefore mirror a good supply of such requisites. Due to an extensive bark-beetle infestation in Bavarian Forest Nationalpark woodpeckers prospered in a extraordinary number. But when the dye-back kiled the l...

Traditionally conservationists manage the environment, to protect specific landscapes, habitats or species. But acceptance of free dynamics - by "doing nothing" - enables rather unfamiliar processes, allowing developments of natural characters, including disturbances - innovative path for re-wilding former used landscapes and forests.

In 1972 a project for reintroducing the locally extinct Ural Owl was started in Bavarian Forest National Park. Due to an extensively closed canopy of the forest, structures and Prey abundance were suboptimal. Quality of habitat changed dramatically, when wind blow and consecutive barkbeetle infestation created large clearings and a rich ground laye...

Foresters and conservationist traditionally rate herbivory of wildlife as unnatural disturbance of development in woodland. But ungulates, wild boar, and even birds perform specific behaviour to enrich their Habitats, by browsing, killing saplings, creating Clearings under a dense canopy. So these behavioural activities should get accepted as speci...

Due to a harsh climate and high elevations the Bohemian Forest traditionally is rated as poor in species diversity. But fossil remnants of glacial period and historic data from middle ages shape an absolut different Picture, with an imposing mega-Fauna, with bears, lynx, and wolfs hunting for deer and moos.

Some mammals and birds have evolved strategies to optimize the supply of habitat properties. Wildlife biologists should investigate whether bark-scaling on trees and lethal damage of seedlings and saplings by biting, pushing or trampling by big herbivores is an analogous behaviour to create gaps on the woodland canopy and to slow down successional...

Traditionally animals in their environment are seen als passiv and fully dependend from natural supply of requisites and structures in their habitat. But in reality many species are able to built essential structures by themeseves, like woodpecker-hole, stick-nests, borrows or even open clearings in extensively closed forest.

Chance of survival for small populations gets usually calculated by mathematic modelling. In consequence the Minimum Viable Population traditionally is defined by a threshold of 500 reproducing individuals. But a great number of examples demonstrate, that some species may come to extinction though much higher population densities, and - on the othe...

During a bird-census in the relics of old growth forests in Bavarian Forest National Park several Green Warblers were detected, a nordic bird species, never registered here before. The paper summarises all encounters during the last years.

Census of woodpeckers in Bavarian Forest National Park Shows a striking discrepancy between abundance of Great-Spotted and White-Backed Wodpeckers, both living in more or less identic habitats.

Traditionally conservation in Europe aims to stabilice ecosystems, species composition and Habitat Qualities. Due to the fundamental dynamic of natural processes, conservation in national parks should not fight against natural development any longer, but follow the autogenous development of natural ecosystems. This strategy needs much larger areas...

Defensive behaviour of some owls especially of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is linked with hissing and quick extension of tongue combined with a clicking note. From this combination the wrong term “tongue-clicking” derived. The noise, however, is produced by bill-snapping. In the Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) coordination of licking and clicking is m...

The Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) is rated as woodpecker-species, but - in fact of its soft bill - is not able to drill wood or construct its own hole in a tree. As this species hunts for small ants, it is strictly dependend on meadows with short Vegetation in warmer climate . Any improvement of soil by fertilisation spoils the sensitive habitat of this...

Comparative description of vocalization of three species within genus Athene. The analysis rectifies the ranking of the Burrowing Owl as a sister-species of the Little Owl.

Due to intensive hunting and robbing the Nestlings the Eagle Owl got nearly extinct in Bohemian and Bavarian Forest. In 1970 the Administration of Bavarian Forst National Park started a breeding and releasing Project for re-introduction. From 100 released birds some dispersed up to 124km, but mainly only 7 to 12 km. Main mortality was traffic and p...

wild caught Pearl-spottet Owlet reaches age of 18 years in captivity

Owls are hunters in the night, and adapted for silent flight, exact location of prey by specialised Hearing and sight. Avoiding conflicts with raptros during the day, they perform complex concealing postures, but Change to imposing threatening, when confronted with a potenzal predator. All species lay White and round eggs, mostly in rocky crevices...

A Ural Owl male and a Tawny Owl female, both not imprinted to the wrong species, reproduced 2 hybrid owls in captivity. From this F 1-generation successful crossbreeding occured with the pure species - Tawny and Ural owl as well. Even these F 2 Generation was fertil.

Die Studie prft die Hypothese, da von Jahr zu Jahr zufllig schwankende Witterungseinflsse lngerfristige Populationszyklen des Auerhuhnes hervorrufen knnen. Beobachtungen in Gefangenschaft und Freiland deuten an, da Lufttemperatur und Niederschlag zur Zeit der Kkenaufzucht die berlebensraten beeinflussen. Die Station Hohenpeienberg des Deutschen Wet...

Burrowing Owl udually uses burrows of small mammals, but is also able to digg out ist own burrow. Description of behaviour of diggimg and nest construction with dry herbs.

Haselgrouse represents one of the smallest member of the grouse family. Due to its life in more or less dense vegetation, the bird utters several contact notes, to communicate with ist pair-partner. Due to ist small size Haselgrouse is exposed to a high number of predators, especially the Gosh Hawk. Therefore the birds avoid any conspicuous movemen...

In concern with a breeding programme for re-introducing the Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) detailed observations were done on vocalization, courtship behaviour, egglaying, brooding and ontogenetic development of the nestlings; main characters in comparison to the related Tawny Owl (Strix aluco). ,

freshly hatched nestlings of Pygmy Owl were killed in old woodpecker cave by ants, living in the interior hollows of the natural tree.

From 1986 to 1975 several species of owls reproduced succesfully in large aviaries. Due to high quality of food and suitable nesting sites, some species produced for the very first time in captivity. Plumage, behavior and ontogenetic development of nestlings are described.

Within the international network of waterfowl census we organised the fieldwork along the river Danube in Lower Austria and Vienna during the winter-months.The result shows the high value of this European river-system, habitat of thousands of ducks, divers, cormorants and bald eagles, especially when neighbouring waterbodies are frozen deeply.

In concern with an extensive census of owls on an area of 130km2 about 50 active territories of Pygmy Owls werde confirmed in Bavarian Forest National Park. The paper describes sea-level, elevation, diameter an species of nesting trees, compares reproductive success in montainous mixed forest and natural spruce forest. Nearly 700 pellets were analy...

1. The study is based on the observations of a pair of caged Snowy Owls and their young between March 1969 and August 1971. 2. Periods of resting and locomotion form the activity schedule during day and night, with an activity climax at dawn and a minimum at noon and at midnight. Locomotion, hunting, feeding and display take place at all hours. 3....

During 1995 to 2007, 70 Chinese grouse (31 males and 39 females) were followed using radio telemetry at Lianhuashan Natural Reserve, Gansu Province, China. The typical habitat of Chinese grouse consisted of spruce-fir forests intermixed with thickets of many willow species (2600 m to 3500 m a.s.l.). The territorial behaviour of Chinese grouse culmi...