Resources

Presentations

Over the last several years, PMRA has conducted a number of presentations for naturalist, birding, research, school, academic, government, indigenous and other groups across coastal BC. Some of these have been recorded and posted on websites for public consumption. The following are available for free, online:

Coastal Western Screech-Owls Persist in BC Old-Growth Despite Declining Population in the Pacific Northwest - presentation to BC Field Ornithologists (click here for presentation slides)

Coastal Western Screech-owl (Megascops kennicottii kennicottii – WESOke) records have declined dramatically throughout the Pacific Northwest over the past 20 years. We conducted a series of nocturnal surveys to improve understanding of WESOke population trends, habitat associations, and the impacts of invasive Barred Owls (Strix varia) and landcover change (e.g., forestry) on WESOke occupancy and detection rates.

Surveys were conducted using standardized call-playback methods and bioacoustics recordings using Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) around the south coast region of British Columbia (BC) and on Vancouver Island, BC during February through April of 2021 thru 2024.

Preliminary results suggest few WESOke remain within the valley-bottom, riparian habitats where the majority of historical WESOke records in BC have been documented. However, we regularly detected WESOke within old-growth (250+ year old) forests, including cedar dominated forests on Vancouver Island. Our and others’ results suggest WESOke populations are persisting at relatively high occupancy rates (>50% of potential territories) within previously understudied habitats including low productivity bogs (e.g., on northern Vancouver Island in the Nahwitti Bog) and high productivity cedar forests (e.g., on the west coast of Vancouver Island in Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park and adjacent forests that, for now, remain unlogged).

Populations of WESOke within these habitats appear resilient to increasing densities of barred owl in the region. We hypothesize that aspects of habitat types in which WESOke persist reduce the availability and/or abundance of Barred owl prey, but maintain either smaller prey suitable for WESOke or thicker understory vegetation more accessible to WESOke and that provide cover/security for WESOke and Barred owl prey. Occupancy analyses are recommended to test this hypothesis using survey data collected with Pacific Megascops Research Alliance protocols since 2021 throughout coastal BC and historical datasets these protocols were designed to align with.

The Washington and Idaho Wildlife Societies Chapters and the Society for Northwest Vertebrate Biology

Click here for a link to the full resolution poster presentated at the joint meeting of the Washington and Idaho Chapters of the Wildlife Society and the Society for Northwest Vertebrate Biology in C’oeur d"‘Alene, ID in March 2024.

Nature Chilliwack

Vancouver Island University

Literature

Much of the literature that exists on the owls of Coastal BC is grey. It’s, therefore, often difficult to track down without already knowing that it exists. This list of free (non-paywalled) links is meant to act as a library of resources on the topic for those interested in learning more without needing to spend years digging into the existing literature. If you notice there is something we are missing, please do reach out and let us know at any time. We are always exited to learn more and expand the list of public resources.

Coastal Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii kennicottii)

Technical Reports

• WESOke Compilation and Analysis of Records to Inform Trend Monitoring (Hemmera 2017)

• WESOke Occupancy Analysis to Inform Study Design (Hemmera 2020)

• WESOke Studies and Nocturnal Wildlife Inventory within Old Growth Ecosystems of SW BC (Hemmera 2022)

• WESOke Inventory and Habitat Stewardship on the Discovery Islands, BC (Friends of Cortes Island & Madrone 2024)

Status Report & Recovery Strategy

• COSEWIC (2002)

• COSEWIC (2012)

• COSEWIC (2014)

• Canada Gazzette WESOke SARA update status (2017)

• Campbell River Watershed Species of Interest Action Plan (2011)

• Recovery Plan for the Western Screech-Owl, kennicottii subspecies (Megascops kennicottii kennicottii) in British Columbia (2013)

• Review of the COSEWIC 2012 assessment of Western Screech-Owl (2014) (summary)

• Review of the COSEWIC 2012 assessment of Western Screech-Owl (2014)

Peer Reviewed Scientific Literature

• Recent Trends in Western Screech-Owl and Barred Owl Abundances on Bainbridge Island, Washington (Acker, 2012)

• Declining numbers of Western Screech-owl in the lower mainland of British Columbia (Elliot, 2006)

• Population status and trends in Canadian raptors: a review (Kirk & Hyslop, 1998)

• Factors Influencing the Detectability of Forest Owls in Southeastern Alaska (Kissling et al., 2010)

• Diet of the Western Screech-owl in Southeast Alaska (Kissling et al., 2010)

• High incidence of vehicle-induced owl mortality in the lower mainland and central Fraser Valley, British Columbia (Preston & Powers, 2006)

• Observations of Two Species at Risk in Mainland Southwestern British Columbia: Hutton’s Vireo and Western Screech-Owl (Robertson et al., 2000)

• Vocal individuality as a potential long-term monitoring tool for Western Screech-owls, Megascops kennicottii (Tripp & Otter 2006)