Short-eared Owl Winter Surveys Wrap-Up, Thank You Volunteers!

Photos Courtesy of Eric Godin

SEOW and Vole Numbers Down from Last Year

March 2026 marked the end of another season of Short-eared Owl Winter Roost Surveys. From Nov. 2025 — March 2026, we recorded 313 owls across three sites. The largest roosting group consisted of 28 individuals. Since surveys in each area are conducted monthly, some owls were likely counted more than once across different survey rounds. 

We also documented three deceased owls: two of unknown cause that had been scavenged by coyotes (though it is unclear whether they were killed or scavenged post-mortem) and one possibly killed in a vehicle collision. Meanwhile, vole surveys carried out in these areas revealed a decline in prey availability. This likely explains the lower number of owls observed compared to previous years, as Short-eared Owls are nomadic and tend to move to areas with higher prey abundance.

Staff & Volunteers L-R: Elena Rosales, Pat Klever, Gabriela Mendes, John Zardis, Til Tullis and Jake Magargle (who came all the way from Plano, TX)

Behind these numbers is an extraordinary collective effort. This season was made possible by 34 dedicated volunteers who traveled from different cities and states. They braved long hikes, sometimes through knee-deep snow, and brought enthusiasm and a positive attitude to every survey. Their commitment is at the heart of everything we do, and we are deeply grateful to each and every one of them.

Jake Magargle from Dallas, TX, so far breaks the record of longest distance driven to volunteer. He found out about the ORI from the book “What An Owl Knows,” by Jennifer Ackerman and looked us up online. He filled out the volunteer form and drove up in early January, 2026 to do a Short-eared Owl Survey. He enjoyed the scenery, owls and the people. “Everyone was super friendly and welcoming,” he said. He was also somewhat surprised to find out how positively the ORI is regarded in the local area, indicating we’ve done a good job of connecting with the locals.

Jake joined the National Guard at 18, deployed lots of places, over the years with 2 overseas and 9 state-side mobilizations over the years. He retired from the Guard in Dec. 2025, currently works for Raytheon full time, and has been married for 10 years, to a wonderful wife who doesn’t mind him traveling so far to find owls. The day he volunteered they saw 9 Short-eared Owls out in the field.

As winter surveys come to an end, a new chapter is already beginning. Monitoring of courtship flights is underway, and soon we will be searching for nests. With fingers crossed, we look forward to a thriving breeding season. ~Gabriela Mendes

Keywords:

Short-eared Owl

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