A Humboldt State University team is attempting to prove that owls can be an effective eco-friendly option at protecting grapes from rodent attacks.
Graduate students at the university's Department of Wildlife under professor Matt Johnson have been investigating the impact of owls on 75 California vineyards.
About 80 percent of those wineries were found to be using owl boxes to control rodents, especially gophers.
Napa Valley alone has more than 300 owl boxes, which are designed to be turned into new homes by owls native to the area.
They found that an owl family in each nest can devour an average of about 3,400 rodents each year.
The graduate students monitor over 280 of these owl boxes across 65 different vineyards to prove that the owls do reduce the number of rodents, which haven't been conclusively achieved.
They have found that farmers who use owl boxes use less rodenticide..
According to Johnson, while it has not yet been proven that the reduction in rodenticides was due to the use of barn owl boxes, the result of their study is encouraging.
Johnson added that the ease with which owls are willing to set up shop on vineyards makes their effort worth a shot.


Eli Lilly’s Inluriyo Gains FDA Approval for Advanced Breast Cancer Treatment
NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo
FDA Pilot Program Eases Rules for Nicotine Pouch Makers
Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission
Neuralink Expands Brain Implant Trials with 12 Global Patients
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery
Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records
SpaceX’s Starship Completes 11th Test Flight, Paving Way for Moon and Mars Missions
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks
SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO
NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge
Is space worth the cost? Accounting experts say its value can’t be found in spreadsheets
Gordie Howe Bridge to Open July 27 After U.S.-Canada Reach Toll Revenue Agreement
Trump Administration to Launch Autism Initiatives Targeting Acetaminophen Use and New Treatment Options
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 



