Saw it earlier today. An argument to shoot/kill Barred Owls on Spotted Owl
turf.



I think it will be a huge management issue. Barred Owls outnumber Spottys by
such a huge margin now that the constant invasion by Barreds into Spotty
territory will keep someone employed fulltime to protect a single pair. It
will be a very costly investment.



On the other hand, there isn't a whole lot that can be done to protect
Spottys that hasn't been done yet. The Spotty is an inferior specie, being
replaced by a more superior one. I say inferior because it can not compete
with the Barred Owl successfully. We have yet to find an environment in
which the Spotty will survive that is unfit for a Barred. Barred Owls
reproduce annually with 2-3 owlets. Spottys tend to breed every other year,
and aren't quite as successful. Spotty's require about 3x the territory a
Barred Owl requires, because a Barred Owl is more of a generalist when it
comes to prey - if it moves and is smaller than itself, it is food.



It looks pretty dismal for Washington's Spotted Owls.





J. Acker

Bainbridge Island, Washington

owler at sounddsl.com



_____

From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Brew
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 4:42 PM
To: Tweeters
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Barred Owls



Hi:



Don't see anything on list, but has anyone noticed that there are those who
believe that in order to save the Spotted Owl there should be "removal
experiments" aimed at reducing Barred Owls, as in trapping and killing them.



Link below.



Jim Brewster
Tacoma
BrewsHome at thewiredcity.net



http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/science/3697400.html