Participation in the owlproject.org owl release programme has captured the imagination of both adults and children alike. Feeding teams and rosters, release day countdowns and post-release observations have all left participants feeling a sense of accomplishment and a greater appreciation for the avian fauna that occurs within their school.

The focus of this programme is to be fun, educational and unique. Schools that participate often refer to the owl release program as the highlight of their year.

Owl release pen talk and showcase.

 School children sign up and receive permission from their parents to be involved with the project. The release program takes place over a three-week period. For the first 20 days, the juvenile Barn Owls (Tyto alba) are placed in a release box on the school property where they will be fed daily by the school children. After 20 days, the owls are released onto the school premises. The science behind this is that the owls will remain around the school, where they will hunt for rodents and as adults, use the owl box as a breeding site. A school is an ideal place for them as it is quiet at night.

A juvenile Barn Owl (Tyto alba) being placed into an owl release pen at Marlboro Gardens Primary School. 

For the week after the owls have been released, the school children will continue to place food for the juvenile owls to support feed and continue to play the surrogate parent role. All the owls that are released through the project are owls we receive through rehabilitation centres and SPCA branches across Gauteng.