Sovembar in Kikinda | Tourist Calendar of Serbia

Sovembar is a cultural and educational event that has been taking place in Kikinda - a city in the northern part of Banat, representing the largest winter habitat of little owls in the world - every November for the past ten years.

Still not fully explained, this natural phenomenon is reflected in the fact that this species of owls nests in large numbers in the crowns of plane trees, linden trees, and hornbeams in Kikinda at the end of autumn, determined to spend the upcoming winter right there. And not just anywhere, but in the very center of the city - at the Square of Serbian Volunteers.

Considering that little owls predominantly feed on field mice, which are abundant in the fields of Banat, it is assumed that they find the microclimate of this place and the hospitality of its residents very suitable. Namely, in Kikinda, it has been legally prohibited for years to disturb their habitat, cut down trees, or destroy owl nests.

Being the symbol of Kikinda in competition with the giant "ludaja" pumpkins or the Kika mammoths is not easy, but the owls have taken the lead even over those. The BBC team has even made several reports about the owl colony that settles in Kikinda during winter, often numbering close to a thousand individuals.

Therefore, November in Kikinda has rightfully been declared the month of owls and humorously renamed "Sovember." The event takes place throughout the month and has an educational character. Exhibitions and workshops about owls, their way of life, and the protection of this species are held in the Kikinda National Museum, kindergartens, and schools.

The city square is also dedicated to owls, but the central event is reserved for the last week of the month. The so-called "Owl Patrol" involves counting the owls on the Kikinda square, where ornithologists from the Institute for Nature Conservation, as well as students from Kikinda primary schools, participate. The record number of owls in the city center was recorded in 2009 when as many as 743 little owls were counted in the tree crowns.

Global climate changes have made November slightly warmer than usual in the past decade, resulting in a smaller number of owls today. However, with the first frosts and snowfall, the "Kikinda" owls slowly gather and can be seen during the winter months, dozing off in the bare tree crowns on the city square.

This year's "Owl Patrol" is scheduled for November 25th.