She’s saved a wetland – and now she’s won an international award. Pot Plant Owl, named by the owners of the balcony where she has raised her brood for the past four years, is the winner of the Owl Hall of Fame’s 2012 Lady Gray Award, given to an owl that has done great things to make the world a better place for owls.
When wildlife enthusiast Tracy, of Durban, and Allan Eccles moved into their new home in Radiokop, Joburg, in August 2008, they had no idea that their tenants, for a few months every year, would be a family of spotted eagle owls.
“The first night we moved in, we heard the pair land on the roof. They were very noisy and we ended up falling asleep to the sounds of their haunting calls.
“When we stepped out on to the balcony the next morning, in the pot plant, lay a single egg.
“We live in a complex in the bustling metropolis of Johannesburg – a far cry from the serenity of country living. We felt so privileged to have them,” said Tracy.
The couple drew the curtains and barricaded themselves in their bedroom, where they set up a hide.
Over the next three months the couple documented the owls’ daily lives through photographs – more than 2 000 – and video footage using a small webcam.
Thanks to that, Pot Plant has become a YouTube sensation – she has a legion of adoring fans.
“Initially it was just friends and family who followed the link on our website until someone told us it would be a great way to create awareness and dispel myths and superstitions surrounding owls.”
In a country where owl superstitions abound and witch doctors make medicines from owls, education is crucial to stop the persecution of the birds, she said.
The couple are frequently asked to speak at schools, society groups and organisations, and corporate functions.
The owl, whom the Eccles affectionately call Momma, and her mate, named Pappa, have raised a family every year since then, in a soil-filled pot that also holds a small tree.
The birds arrive around June and the first egg is laid in August.
She said there were a few days between each egg and the brood stay for about two months before they fly off.
Dr Mark Brown, an ornithologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said all birds of prey had what is called “natal recognition”.
If a spotted eagle owl is born in a scraping on the ground, they are very likely to have owlets in the same setting when they are ready.
“While it is not too uncommon for them to nest in buildings, what is unique about this bird is that the owl keeps coming back to the exact place every year,” he said.
Brown commended the couple for generating awareness. He said the spotted eagle owl was one of the few birds of prey that have adapted to urban environments.
According to several owl studies worldwide, about 80 percent of owls died in their first year, he said.
“Urban owls have more concerns and we should try to conserve them,” he said.
Pot Plant Owl’s popularity has revealed intimate details of breeding behaviour, but her popularity has also had a lasting effect on the planet.
In 2009 the wetland next to the couple’s complex was under threat when a developer arrived with a bulldozer and started flattening the trees.
The owls use the wetland as a hunting ground, so, within hours, the Eccles lodged an official objection with the Green Scorpions.
Tracey said the bulldozer stopped, but the developer was granted permission to use chainsaws instead.
She said that at this stage notices of intent to build a residential complex on the wetland property were put up in the area.
The wetland was devastated, she said. The couple studied environmental legislation trying to find ways to protect the wetland.
While the decision to continue with the development was pending, the couple turned to the media for help.
They also started an online petition.
“Initially, our target was 4 000 signatures. Within days, we had more than 10 000 signatures,” Tracey said.
The petition, with more than 27 000 signatures, was submitted to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture Conservation and Environment.
In June last year, the department denied the developer permission to build on the wetland. The developer appealed and lost.
Tracy has written an award-winning book about Pot Plant Owl, and proceeds from the book sales are used to support Bird Life SA, FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and the Endangered Wildlife Trust.
She said she had realised that owls were better parents than many humans. “They are nurturing, provide for their young, and become anxious at times watching their young owlets, just like human parents watching small children.”
The Eccles are expected to be presented with their award as part of the 10th annual International Festival of Owls, in Houston, Minnesota later this week. The World Owl Hall of Fame is sponsored by the International Festival of Owls and the Global Owl Project.