In recent years, with the advancement of technology, bioacoustic methods have become an alternative to well-established survey methods, such as searching for owl nests and playback surveys. Newer approaches to biodiversity monitoring offer numerous advantages, such as minimal impact on the natural behavior of animals, data impartiality, and the possibility of optimized long-term monitoring. However, the effectiveness of bioacoustic methods compared to classical methods is still unverified. In our study, conducted in 2022, we carried out a passive bioacoustic survey of selected owl species during the breeding season in the areas of Krim, Smrekovec, and Dleskovškova planota. The species surveyed included the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), the Ural Owl (Strix uralensis), the Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum), and the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus). We analyzed the collected data on species vocalizations, determined the detection probability for each species, and compared the bioacoustic survey data with data obtained from a classical playback survey conducted in the same year. The passive bioacoustic method proved to be a successful in survey of the Tawny Owl, as we achieved a 95% detection reliability already in three nights of continuous recording. The survey of other species was less successful indicating the need for further improvements the passive bioacoustic survey method for individual species, whose detection probability largely depends on their spontaneous vocal activity. Our research will contribute to the further development of the passive bioacoustic method and its establishment as a survey method in Slovenia.
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