Vineyard & Winery Management • May/Jun 2009 2 www.vwm-online.com international competitions. international in wine judging and trends wine following globe the around travels who critic and educator wine Sawyer sommelier, a is istopher Chr Story and photos by Christopher Sawyer Christopher by photos and Story grown, the stand 14-inches tall, have a a have fully tall, When 14-inches stand birds outbuildings. the grown, other and barns, trees, hollow sheds inside or found quarters cavities closed dark in lives that nester hole a is pratincola. alba , barn American North the and alba, of alba Tyto owl Europe, barn the are races known best- two the Currently, globe. this the around of spread have subspecies mul tiple the longevity, and breeding natural in ful success Highly Tytonidae family. the of ber mem a is owl barn the skills, flying amazing and plumage mag nificent appetite, cious in world. the bird land most widespread the owl, barn the of heart a and face. shaped wings golden with creature feathery a befriending and box small a purchasing as easy as be could dilemma A Barn in the Vineyards In terms of living conditions, the owl barn the conditions, living of terms In vora its for Known kingdom the to Welcome your property? Well, the answer to this this to answer the Well, on property? your investments and your costly on other and away gophers vines gnawing pocket rodents of other sick you re

of flight, which allow it to to it allow which flight, of swiftness and razor talons, sharp sight, of its sense on keen based are feathery the predator of skills The pound. 1 about weigh erally gen and wingspan 42-inch - - - - - Natural Born Killers Born Natural TURE R U LT U C I T I V - swoop and strike quickly before the prey can can prey the before quickly strike and swoop These impressive attributes caught the atten the caught attributes impressive WORK These TO OWLS BARN PUTTING react.

    a e c n a l G a t A A researcher from the Pittsburgh Zoo has Zoo has the from Pittsburgh A researcher up to eat can owl family A barn single nest that predators owls are Barn natural wreak gophers Rodents can pocket like grated pest management. pest grated owl box a as a barn for tool inte created to vineyards. suited rodents in one 3,000 year, and are well and hollow sheds in barns, trees. eliminate. to in vineyards, and havoc are difficult tion of Mark Browning, a professional professional a Browning, Mark of tion trainer and field researcher researcher field and trainer animal Browning.) for the Pittsburgh Zoo. Brown Zoo. Pittsburgh the for vineyards. (Photo by Mark by Mark (Photo vineyards. ing’s knowledge of barn owls owls barn of knowledge ing’s and other rodents in rodents other and inspired him to develop a a develop to him inspired populations of gophers of gophers populations way to put the predatory predatory the put to way help growers help reduce bird to work in rodent- in work to bird Barn owl boxes can Barn plagued vineyards and and vineyards plagued farms: the Barn Owl Owl Barn the farms: Box (see sidebar). Con sidebar). (see Box - - - - metal poles in shaded areas. shaded in poles or metal trunks tree on or barns, fabricated pre of sides the into mounted be can boxes the plastic, molded of structed TURE R U LT U C I T I V Browning says he started his his started he says Browning ed in Napa’s Oxbow Market. Oxbow ed in Napa’s locat Store, Box Owl Barn new his in and www.barnowlbox.com, website, Browning’s through They model. are available for a post-mounted $129.87 Browning. said thinking,” in progressive very is that a “It state is and vineyard owners California. in of time.”to owls the for period barn an extended favorable is that place a as site the establish to enough long last not boxes those will unfortunately, But plywood. a box of out half-inch cheap make to thought nice a “It’s material. the of durability the on based was not occupied. is box the when cleaning easy for floorboard removable a and back the in , P E E window viewing a includes box D The kill. next its for leaving before chicks S E H C and mother N the a feed quickly and to bird I male the hole allows ledge, which landing entry - 5.5-inch 6 circular 2 a has Box Owl G Barn N Browning’s wide, I R U S A E M A Word About The boxes are priced at $109.87 for a barn-mounted model, and and model, barn-mounted a for $109.87 at priced are boxes The farmers to been far,has so sales, of concentrations largest the of One plastic lightweight of out box the make to decision his says Browning X O B L W O N R A B E H T - and ,” he said. “The initial initial seeing on “The based was concept said. working he birds of animals,” and qualities unique the casing show about passionate it am I did “I because whim. a on project owl barn 17-inches high and 17-inches 17-inches and high 17-inches the Barn Owl Box. Owl Barn the to develop Zoo, Pittsburgh the for researcher field Browning, Mark inspired states in northern tions owl popula local increase to designed A project his research, Browning Browning research, his to conduct grant $100,000 to owls the nests. their build for hard it by make that buildings replaced steel and down torn being barns of wooden number increased the and , and areas wild of amount the shrinking practices, farming of change the to decline this attributes the Browning 1950s. since declining has been population owl barn states.” northern the in owls local of population the increasing and density bird the raise could we if A f t e r r e c e i v i n g a a g n i v i e c e r r e t f A the Pennsylvania, In - - - SAWYER OWLS1/3VOR STACKED PAIR OF1/6V

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Orleans New as far as flew owl One four-day a in miles 200 than more covered some Mountains Carolina, South to Allegheny the While over states. flying Gulf the to south eled trav owls young In the of many fall, phenomenal. the were project the of year. one for of tracked and 2007 fall the in Pennsylvania released western were in owls the legs, their to attached transmitters lightweight With project. research unique the of part be to chosen were owls young 16 com pleted, was birds the of breeding After owls. barn of study tracking satellite telemetry first the conduct to field in the professionals Preserva other and Fund Moraine tion with up teamed TURE R U LT U C I T I V Together, the continuum of data data of continuum the Together, results the Browning, to According - - - SAWYER OWLS1/2H,IORCOMBINATION and other professionals formulate formulate professionals other and In the vineyard, the benefit of using using of benefit the vineyard, the In VINES THE AMONG barn for thrive. to owls locations ideal regions rior inte and coastal agricultural the makes and landscape grasslands marshes, trees, natural of combination the the project. funding begin to Agriculture of Ministry farmlands has encouraged the country’s in boxes nesting of use successful the Israel, in And zones. agricultural other and farms dairy orchards, nut in used are birds the Ohio, In fields. cane sugar the raptor is used to hunt rodents in the instance, for Florida, In well. as zones been used in many different agricultural said. Browning man history,” throughout accompanied has that marvel bird a of ous study the to knowledge species. this preserve to efforts new On the West Coast, Browning says says Browning Coast, West the On Other types of barn owl projects have more add to gratifying very “It’s - - rodents become particularly hungry hungry particularly become rodents when season the of peak at the occurs harvest, rodents. frenzy feeding other biggest and The eat to gophers hunger mice, insatiable its comes birth. per babies four healthy six to between is average median The nest). the in chicks young of broods birth (the multiple produce can couple female and male a year, common a In young. of lot a produce to tendency a species—has bird other most unlike consumed. being numbers the with up keep cannot rate reproductive rodent’s the that so owls establish barn to enough is management pest ed integrat to key the will Thus, that present. be owls of number the more the greater The increases, population simple: rodent is the owl barn the ground. On an estate property, Brown property, estate an of On ground. lot a covers structure single a that gone. are crops the after With the maturity of each bird bird each of maturity the With owl— barn the cause, this help To Another advantage of owl boxes is is boxes owl of advantage Another - - ly, Browning says the chances are very very are chances the says ly,Browning immediate box the to come will owls traps. varmint retrieving and baiting setting, purchasing, of expense the cuts on it down Second, treatment. this by ed affect rodents eat that creatures atory pred beneficial kill other and can owls, chemicals these trace of that elements shown vine have the in Studies yard. use the to reduces need it First, benefits. nomic generations. for sites ing breed birds successful the inhabit to and continue system self- a perpetuating create owls barn once But established, property. the off new territories claim to disperse simply will oth ers while blocks; patrolling vineyard start own their will youngsters cases, the some In lim a time. of for amount ited around stick birds young victim. its attack to points lookout its from glide will owl the spotted, is prey Once sun set. before limbs and morning tree early on the in owls roost barn commonly will hunting, While another. barn one to owls, proximity close in live other can owls and and hawks humans, of unlike presence the erate year. one in rodents 3,000 to up eat can family owl barn single a that says Browning scale, of terms In density. the increase boxes to added be can additional sophis properties, more ticated larger, On of acres vineyards. 20 to up in patrol living can box family one owl an that says ing TURE R U LT U C I T I V While there are no guarantees that that guarantees no are there While eco has also owls barn of use The the over, is season the After tol can species this addition, In ------Edna Valley property to vineyards in in their vineyards to property converting Valley Edna began family and her Othman Gwen proprietor its When labels. to wine its on owls tribute barn resident pays County, Obispo Luis San California’s in Winery, Kynsi MACHINES’ ‘GOPHER-KILLING other vineyards. in of sites nesting limitations the to due good SAWYER OWLS1/3SQ,VORCOMBINATION field. cane sugar in a placed owl box barn a from single came bones rat cane These friends.” best man’s of one are really They ers.’ kill ‘silent or death’ ‘flying ‘gopher-killing machines,’ as owls resident our to refer often we beauty, natural their “Despite Othman. said population,” gopher the in make can owls the dent a big what see to amazing truly was “It Othmans nests. wooden the custom-made installed property, the on tion owls. barn to references many find to surprised and pleasantly was Google on “gopher” word typed the in Othman situation, dire this to solution a by for looking While ransacked clas gophers. been had barn property’s old the sic of the foundation and vines planted young the that hadn’t that found years—they many for 1940s old used been the an in built dairy 1990s—including early the installing owl boxes on his 106-acre 106-acre his on boxes owl installing Hoffman of Heritage Oak Winery began Tom proprietor area, Lodi the In fornia. Cali throughout vineyards other many o nrae h rpo popula raptor the increase To Similar results have been seen at at seen been have results Similar - - - -

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acres of in Sonoma County. Sonoma in of acres birds to birds hunt prey.”their special these for environment safe a and cause have creating help fun this to designed is program Our birds… beautiful these for environment ous danger a created has practices ture agricul in pesticides toxic of use the that realize to many for time taken has “It rodents. poisoned consuming after died owls barn local of number increasing an when began nization orga the create to idea the said tor, viduals. indi retired and volunteers Project Owl Hungry Scouts, students, wooden nesting boxes made by school produces program community green this CA, Rafael, San in based center rehabilitation wildlife a Care, Wild with association in 2002 in population. Founded owl local the increase to (HOP) Project Owl Hungry profit non- Marin-based the with partnered I property in 1992. More recently, recently, More 1992. in property and estate vineyard owners have have owners vineyard estate and wineries Bay, North California’s n Hungry Owl Project Builds Owl Boxes Owl Builds Project Owl Hungry Alex Godbe, the program’s direc program’s the Godbe, Alex n ojnto wt te Lodi- the with conjunction in Woodbridge Winegrape Winegrape Woodbridge - Commission, Hoffman Hoffman Commission, has developed an online online an developed has educational brochure brochure educational grower who farms 1,500 1,500 farms who grower grape respected highly a Vineyards, Family mo Sangiaco of giacomo said Hoffman. rodents in the vineyard,” live small eating lives happy can and pure silence, in strike and fly sounds, minute hear can birds these that fact helpful websites. tation, and links to other rehabili raptor designs, about box nest control, rodent information detailed includes site unique This quarters. Head Owl Barn called barn own is Steve San Steve is own barn “You have to love the Another fan of the the of fan Another ------Vineyard in Sonoma County. Vineyard in Sonoma – C.S. Family Archer and Gundlach Winery Bundschu and County; Marin Mendocino Company, in Wine Mendocino Vineyard County; Gulch Devil’s and Winery Pacheco include: boxes unteer. vol HOP a Blake, Mark by signed and painted owl the of print watercolor edition limited a and vineyard; the from fruit with made caber sauvignon of net bottles three box; the of status the on reports detailed receive In Valley. will gift $500 the of recipients 2009, Alexander in Mountain Vineyard Hawkeye Jackson’s dall Ken at located and HOP by created box nesting owl barn a year-long of a adoption included package owl. barn The the of attributes special the of awareness raising on focused program package gift a launched ery win the 2008, December In this project. embrace to wineries big-name on an up-close and personal level in in level vineyards.” the personal and up-close an happens on process how see environmental to the amazing really it’s Plus, problems. potential of care take can help Nature it’s Mother that essence, way another “In pesticides,” Sangiacomo. said using without the of rodents care taking of way effective an every for acres. 20 box one of median a at out spread are rest the problems; significant rodent with spots are hot in boxes of located concentrations began largest the Today, family boxes. owl own the its making vineyards, the in population owl the increase to 1990s, late the In mice. and varmints trolling con to approach sustainable a sents repre owl barn the says Sangiacomo Other local producers using HOP HOP using producers local Other the of one is Kendall-Jackson “The barn owls provide us with with us provide owls barn “The practices, viticultural of terms In or ? s t n e m m o C r o s n o i t s e u Q [email protected] to replies your send Please . ------