Press Release

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME - OWLS COMING TO SIMI LANDFILL

Simi Valley, CA, September 6, 2006 – Rodents happen to the best of us. Many years ago, Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center pioneered a program to control seagulls at the landfill by using trained falcons to scare them away. Now, the landfill is starting another bird program. With the assistance of a local Boy Scout, the landfill will be building owl boxes along the perimeter of the site in order to attract owls.

On Saturday September 9th at 8:00 am, a local Boy Scout, John Casselberry, Jr. of Troop 622, will be at the landfill installing owl boxes he built as part of his Eagle Scout project. The landfill is located at 2801 Madera Road, Simi Valley.

The owls, which naturally prey on various rodents, will help us keep the rodent population at the landfill to a minimum. When completed, there will be eight owl boxes and five perches built around the site. Simi Valley is home to Barn and Great Horned Owls – both of which love to eat rodents.

The control of rodents is usually done with different types of bait. Various studies have shown that the effects of certain types of bait are detected down the food chain and may cause unintentional harm to other species of wildlife. Many agencies are encouraging homeowners and businesses to seek environmentally friendly types of bait or alternative methods for controlling rodent populations.

The size and placement of the hole has to be just right to exclude animals that might prey on the owlets. The boxes have no outside perch – which can serve as a “welcome mat” for predators – but have air holes, drainage openings and an observation door on the side to allow for research and cleaning.

“Beyond pest-control services, Waste Management views owl boxes being built by John as an important way to provide shelter to these beautiful animals. Owls do not build their own nests. Human-made nest boxes can make up for any shortage of natural nesting areas, enabling these owls to live in places where they might otherwise be absent. This needs to be included and can help stabilize their populations,“ said Scott Tignac, manager of the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center.

The Barn Owl is a small white owl with a heart-shaped facial disc, no ear tufts, dark eyes and golden-buff feathers on its back. It hunts nocturnally in open areas such as such as open fields and wet meadows seeking mice and other small rodents. Barn Owls are considered agriculturally valuable predators; a family of six young and two adults can consume more than 1,000 mice during the nesting season! Contrary to popular belief, Barn Owls do not eat chickens, cats or game birds.

Barn Owls typically use tree cavities, barns, silos and abandoned buildings for nesting sites. Barn Owls do not build nests. Instead, they litter the base of their nest cavity with regurgitated pellets consisting of fur and bones from prey they have eaten. To learn more about owls, visit www.owlpages.com..

Waste Management is the leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services in North America. For more information about recycling, log onto www.KeepingVenturaCountyClean.com.

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