[obol] Boreal Owls: Rare or just hard to get to?

From: Joel Geier <joel.geier@xxxxxxxx>
To: Oregon Birders OnLine <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 16:22:29 -0700

Dave L. wrote:

> Craig suggests Boreal Owls are "relatively rare". (1) Are they really?
> (2) Or is it that they occupy a habitat that is difficult to access
> ... and they sing when their habitat is usually inaccessible to most
> people?

The answers are (1) maybe and (2) maybe. 

I took out the "secretive" bit from Dave's phrasing of the second
question because, from elsewhere in their range, there is no indication
that Boreal/Tengmalm's Owls are especially more secretive than other
small owls, though they are nocturnal, and here in Oregon, their range
appears to be mainly in mountainous areas where few people live or spend
much time after dark in the nesting season.

One reason why I suggested the idea of people visiting Boreal Owl
habitat is that this winter/spring seems like an unusually good
opportunity to address these two questions. 

As some of their potential habitat is much more accessible this year
than in most years, we could learn a lot by going out and listening.
Pick a stretch of road or trail, get out there after it's fully dark,
and stop to listen every half mile.

Here's an example of a protocol that has been recommended in British
Columbia:
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/risc/pubs/tebiodiv/owl/owl_protocols_2k6.pdf
See p. 17 for the part on Boreal Owls.

Then, let me suggest that you report your results -- whether positive or
negative -- to someone who will make sure they get recorded so that 10
years from now, we won't be arguing about the same exact questions.

Maybe some agency such as the US Forest Service already has a jump on
surveying for Boreal Owls on the lands that they manage, where there is
suitable habitat. If so, it would be good to hear from someone involved
as to whether volunteer birders could significantly extend the reach of
the surveys.

Good birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis

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[obol] Boreal Owls: Rare or just hard to get to?

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