It appears to be a difficult choice: Barred owls, or Spotted Owls. We as a
society have decided to go to great lengths and expense to try to maintain
declining species. It seems very clear that both species can not live in the
same habitat, and the spotted is limited already by being a habitat
specialize whereas the Barred is a habitat generalist. So by doing nothing,
Spotted Owls will be removed from the forests of the Northwest, perhaps
permanently. Removing Barred owls is just a stop gap measure, and we may
have to accept the idea that Barred owls will succeed Spotted owls in old
growth niches. From an evolutionary standpoint, Barred owls might be more
fit to succeed in a world of expanding human populations and the resource
depletion that follows. We can remove Spotted Owls and breed them in
captivity, but to what end? Without a workable habitat, e.g., a safe place
to rear young to adulthood, the spotted owl has perhaps a very limited
future.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer
Snohomish County, WA