WHO’S There?: Barred Owl (Strix varia) Urban or Rural Living

Abstract

Urbanization has been shown to have long-term impacts on wildlife behavior. New York state is home to 10 different owl species, only five species are commonly found in the North Country. Land-use change has been a major threat to owl populations, specifically the conversion of forests to agriculture and development has displaced wildlife and poses threats to long-term population persistence. Barred owls (Strix varia) have historically inhabited mixed hardwood deciduous forests with sparse clearings in proximity to wetlands. The goal of this survey was to determine the effects of urbanization on the diversity of owl communities using acoustic detection. We predicted that owls would prefer less-developed rural forests over urban sites. Using a Bluetooth speaker paired to our smartphone’s Audubon’s Merlin application, we played owl calls and recorded responses. Owl survey sites were buffered by 800m and percent land-cover was extracted for all sites. Aural (n=3) and visual (n=1) detections of barred owls occurred only at the rural sites with mixed hardwood forest and proximity to wetlands during the near full moon phase with conditions of limited wind. Forested wetlands are considered more favorable for nesting, hunting and mating. Urbanization influences the health, survival, and behavior of raptors. Development impacts avifauna in species-specific ways. The nocturnal behavior of owls makes them particularly important subjects for studies associated with urban light and noise pollution. As top predators, owls regulate prey populations and contribute to the overall health of ecosystems and continued long-term monitoring is encouraged.