Fire management and the nesting of Athene cunicularia (Aves, Strigidae) in grasslands in central Cerrado, Brazil

Fire management in grasslands of the Cerrado, Brazil, significantly enhances nesting conditions for Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia), with firebreaks supporting 19 burrows compared to just one and two in adjacent and distant unmanaged grasslands, respectively. The study, conducted in Emas National Park from October to November 2009, found that frequent burning in firebreaks likely creates more attractive conditions due to the short herbaceous stratum, facilitating successful reproduction with one to three young reaching adult size by early November. Burrows were predominantly single-entrance and associated with termite or ant nests, while sentinel perches for adults included mounds, termite nests, shrubs, and trees, typically under 2 meters high and within 10 meters of the burrow entrance. These findings suggest that fire management can play a crucial role in supporting the reproduction of this species in tropical grasslands.

Tubelis, D. P., & Delitti, W. B. C. (2010). Fire management and the nesting of Athene cunicularia (Aves, Strigidae) in grasslands in central Cerrado, Brazil. Biota Neotropica, 10(2), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1676-06032010000200012