Barred Owls and Spotted Owls in California: The Future of Deep Forest Owls

Over the last 50 to 100 years, the eastern Barred Owl has made its way to the western United States. Presumably helped by human landscape alteration, the species now inhabits all of the range of the endangered Northern Spotted Owl. In recent years, evidence is mounting to suggest that Barred Owls have become a primary threat to Spotted Owls-they are fierce competitors, aggressive territory holders, and faster reproducers, and have even been anecdotally reported to kill Spotted Owls. And they are spreading faster than ever. Jack Dumbacher will discuss the natural history and conservation concerns for both species and the potential actions proposed by different management agencies.