Starting next year, U.S. wildlife officials are set to intensify efforts to eliminate invasive barred owls that are encroaching on the habitats of imperiled native owl species in West Coast forests. The finalized plan, announced on Wednesday, aims to address the challenges posed by barred owls returning to areas from which they have been removed.
Trained shooters will target barred owls over a span of 30 years across approximately 23,000 square miles in California, Oregon, and Washington. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's objective is to cull up to 452,000 barred owls to curb the decline of competing northern spotted owls and California spotted owls.
The presence of barred owls, originally from eastern North America, in the Pacific Northwest since the 1970s has led to the displacement of many spotted owls, which require larger territories. With an estimated 100,000 barred owls now inhabiting an area that supports only about 7,100 spotted owls, federal officials are concerned about the impact on the native species.
In addition to threatening the native owl populations, the influx of barred owls also poses a risk to frog and salamander species that are preyed upon by the invasive birds.
While some wildlife advocates support the removal of barred owls to protect native species, others argue that it is a misguided approach that may not effectively prevent the migration of barred owls into the region. The spread of barred owls has undermined previous efforts to restore spotted owl populations by focusing on forest conservation.
The plan involves designating entities such as government agencies, landowners, tribes, or companies to carry out the removal of barred owls. Shooters will be required to demonstrate proficiency in owl identification and firearm skills before undertaking the task.
Despite the controversy surrounding the strategy, government officials point to successful experimental removals of barred owls in certain areas as evidence of its potential effectiveness. However, researchers caution that the process may take years to reverse the aggressive expansion of barred owls.
Various methods, including capturing and euthanizing barred owls or preventing their reproduction by collecting eggs, were considered but deemed impractical or costly. The preferred approach involves using recorded owl calls to attract barred owls to specific locations where they can be culled.
Since 2009, researchers have eliminated around 4,500 barred owls on the West Coast, with more than 800 removed from the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation alone. Despite the ongoing efforts, the influx of new barred owls each year remains a challenge for conservationists.
While the removal of barred owls remains a contentious issue, the primary goal is to prevent the extinction of native owl species and restore balance to the ecosystem.
