New Project - Collaborative Short-eared Owl Monitoring

We are embarking on a 3-year collaborative study to monitor Short-eared Owl populations in the western U.S. This study, “Predicting Responses of Short-eared Owl Population Size, Distribution, and Habitat Use in a Changing Climate”, involves 15 other agencies and organizations across 8 states.

This project, funded by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is a rare example of cooperation and collaboration on a large scale. This species-specific monitoring program will provide the most robust population data for Short-eared Owls to date.

The methods used for this large-scale monitoring study stem directly from a paper we published in 2016 titled, “Using Roadside Surveys to Detect Short-Eared Owls: A Comparison of Visual and Audio Techniques.” These methods have been used for several years in Idaho and Utah with promising results.

The effort aims to complete a number of coordinated surveys across California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The survey design is well-suited to volunteer participation and will rely primarily on volunteer, citizen-scientists to collect data. The Owl Research Institute will act as the state coordinator for Montana.

If you're interested in learning more about this project or want to know how to participate, contact Owl Research Institute's Matt Larson at owlinstitute@outlook.com.