Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) - Washington State
Was a priviledge as always to be in their presence.
It is imperative we preserve our old growth forests before we lose this endangered and magnificent bird forever.
They need old growth forests to support all their life stages and especially because they eat almost entirely a diet consisting of Northern Flying Squirrels.
The birds in BC are basically extirpated with a captive breeding program that was doomed to fail from the start.
WA did a better job of managing the logging of old growth forests and conserving this bird but still are battling with the increasing population of Barred Owls. Barred Owls take over the territory of Spotted Owls and push them out of an area causing them to ultimately starve and perish. We can't blame the Barred Owls as we paved their way over here. The Barred Owls have also displaced and killed off many Western Screech-Owls. In Vancouver and the Lower Mainland we no longer have Screech-Owls due to development and Barred Owls.
Seeing these owls is always a treasure but along comes with it sadness that it may be the last time I see that particular bird or even species. Each year they seem to continually decline at a rate of 7% per year and population estimates in WA are around 200 birds.
We must do all we can to prevent this owl from disappearing from the little remaining old growth forests we have left if not the forests will be a far darker place.
On a happy note seeing this species a few days ago put an end to my North American Owl Big Year. I never set out to do a big year but due to travel and circumstance I was able to see all 19 species of naturally occurring owls in NA (excluding Mexico) in 12 months.
Getting Back to the Spotted Owls it was fantastic to see them and to see a few juveniles which give us all hope for the future. These owls do not reproduce every year so to see 2 healthy, curious babies you need to be greatful. They have a long hard road ahead and I wish them all the success and luck in the world... they are going to need it.
Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) - Washington State
Was a priviledge as always to be in their presence.
It is imperative we preserve our old growth forests before we lose this endangered and magnificent bird forever.
They need old growth forests to support all their life stages and especially because they eat almost entirely a diet consisting of Northern Flying Squirrels.
The birds in BC are basically extirpated with a captive breeding program that was doomed to fail from the start.
WA did a better job of managing the logging of old growth forests and conserving this bird but still are battling with the increasing population of Barred Owls. Barred Owls take over the territory of Spotted Owls and push them out of an area causing them to ultimately starve and perish. We can't blame the Barred Owls as we paved their way over here. The Barred Owls have also displaced and killed off many Western Screech-Owls. In Vancouver and the Lower Mainland we no longer have Screech-Owls due to development and Barred Owls.
Seeing these owls is always a treasure but along comes with it sadness that it may be the last time I see that particular bird or even species. Each year they seem to continually decline at a rate of 7% per year and population estimates in WA are around 200 birds.
We must do all we can to prevent this owl from disappearing from the little remaining old growth forests we have left if not the forests will be a far darker place.
On a happy note seeing this species a few days ago put an end to my North American Owl Big Year. I never set out to do a big year but due to travel and circumstance I was able to see all 19 species of naturally occurring owls in NA (excluding Mexico) in 12 months.
Getting Back to the Spotted Owls it was fantastic to see them and to see a few juveniles which give us all hope for the future. These owls do not reproduce every year so to see 2 healthy, curious babies you need to be greatful. They have a long hard road ahead and I wish them all the success and luck in the world... they are going to need it.