Fish and Wildlife seeks public comment on invasive barred owls

Management strategy is needed to protect northern and California spotted owls from extinction

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public input on a draft environmental impact statement and draft Barred Owl Management Strategy that addresses the threat of the non-native and invasive barred owls to native northern and California spotted owls. Populations of the northern spotted owl, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), are rapidly declining due to habitat loss and competition with barred owls.

Based on a recent analysis, northern spotted owl populations in study areas throughout their range declined by 35 percent to more than 80 percent over the past two decades. California spotted owls, which the Service proposed for ESA listing earlier this year, face a similar risk from barred owl competition as barred owl populations continue to expand southward.

“We’ve been working with partners to manage northern and California spotted owl habitat for years, but we also urgently need a management tool that addresses the increasing barred owl threat,” said Kessina Lee, state supervisor for the Service’s Oregon office. “If finalized, this management strategy and associated permit would provide a mechanism for willing Tribes, agencies, companies, or individuals to implement barred owl management on their lands,” Lee said.

Barred owls are generalist predators and opportunistic hunters, eating almost any species they encounter, including small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, earthworms, snails, slugs, insects, and crayfish. They have invaded western forests from their historical range in eastern

North America, threatening the long-term survival of spotted owls and impacting a variety of native wildlife species that either prey for or compete with barred owls for the same food resources.

The draft Barred Owl Management Strategy recommends actions to reduce barred owl populations in certain areas of the northern spotted owl’s range and focuses on limiting barred owl expansion into the range of the California spotted owl. Widespread implementation of barred owl management is necessary for the conservation of spotted owls, and the Service intends to coordinate closely with Tribes, federal, state, and private partners on its implementation, which would be voluntary.

The Service prepared the draft environmental impact statement and Barred Owl Management Strategy using information and comments received during the public scoping period and the best available science, including results from the large-scale barred owl removal experiment. This study showed that barred owl removal had a strong, positive effect on northern spotted owl sur vival, which ultimately stopped population declines in areas where barred owls were removed.

A 60-day public comment period will start when the notice of availability publishes in the Federal Register later this month. Information on how to submit comments is available at www.regulations. gov by searching under docket number FWS-R1-ES-2022-0074.