Controlling Rodent Population by Attracting Birds of Prey Through Nesting Platforms

The AvayeBoom Bird Conservation Society, dedicated to bird and environmental protection, implemented a research project to install artificial nesting platforms for birds of prey in the Varzaneh Tamarisk forests. This initiative, carried out on January 4, 2021, was a collaboration between the AvayeBoom Bird Conservation Society, the Varzaneh Municipality, the Varzaneh Cultural and Natural Heritage Lovers Association, and the Isfahan Department of Environment.

Location and Background

Varzaneh, located in the southwest of Nain County, east of Isfahan province, and adjacent to Gavkhouni Wetland, has long faced the issue of cutaneous leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease transmitted to humans by the bite of sandflies. Rodents, including the Great Gerbil, are primary reservoirs of this disease. Annually, various measures such as spraying pesticides, rodent burrow fumigation, baiting, and sanitary waste disposal are undertaken in affected areas. However, the widespread use of rodenticides poses significant risks to birds of prey and other wildlife that feed on these rodents.

Project Goals

The AvayeBoom Bird Conservation Society aims to reduce environmental hazards associated with chemical rodent control, prevent bird poisoning, and ultimately decrease the incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis by introducing artificial nesting platforms for birds of prey as a biological pest control method.

Implementation

The nesting platforms were designed based on international studies, tailored in height and dimensions to suit the local birds of prey that prefer open nests. Key considerations included appropriate installation locations and nest spacing. To protect vegetation and avoid disturbing active nests of other species, the installation was carried out in winter.

The Varzaneh Department of Environment will collaborate on monitoring and protecting these platforms. Monitoring began simultaneously with the installation, and it is expected that the peak leishmaniasis outbreak in early spring will coincide with the breeding season of birds of prey. Their increased hunting activity to feed their chicks should help reduce the rodent population and, consequently, the spread of the disease. This project underscores the importance of birds and their habitats in maintaining ecological balance.

Acknowledgments

The AvayeBoom Bird Conservation Society sincerely thanks the Isfahan Department of Environment, the Varzaneh Municipality, the Varzaneh Cultural and Natural Heritage Lovers Association, and Mr. Shahrokh Sanaei for constructing the nesting platforms, as well as all other individuals who assisted in executing this project.

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