State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan
Northern Spotted Owl Demography Monitoring in Southeast Washington
The goal of this project is to provide information on occupancy, fecundity, and survival of spotted owls at 20 spotted owl sites on or adjacent to DNR-managed lands in the Klickitat Habitat Conservation Plan Planning Unit. The monitoring sites are part of the Wenatchee demographic study area - one of the 14 study areas throughout the spotted owl's geographic range that provide information used to estimate the annual rate of population change. Our results are included in the periodic analyses of the status and trends of the northern spotted owl population throughout its geographic range (Anthony et al., 2006). DNR uses the results for management planning in this area, and may use them for future adaptive management and validation monitoring activities.
Where is the study area?
What are the project activities?
- A five-year project was initiated in 2001.
- Fieldwork is conducted by the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) following a standardized protocol (Forsman, 1995).
- The final report for the initial project was submitted in May 2007.
- A new 3-year contract was signed in 2007.
- Fieldwork (6 visits per site per year) continued in 2008 and data are being transcribed.
What are your results to date?
- 2006 results showed:
- One reproductive pair of northern spotted owls with two juveniles at the Dairy Creek/Klickitat River site.
- Two sites with single spotted owls (Dairy Creek North Fork and Ladiges Spring).
- Barred owls were detected in 12 of the monitored spotted owl sites.
- 2007 results showed:
- Spotted owl detections: one reproductive pair with two juveniles; one non-reproductive pair; and one single male
- Barred owl detections: two pairs; 35 males; six females; and three birds of unknown sex
- 2008 results showed:
- Spotted owl detections: two reproductive pairs, each with one fledgling; one single, sub-adult male.
- Barred owl detections: five pairs, eight single males.
- Results for 1992 through 2006 are in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Survey effort and spotted owl detections in Klickitat Planning Unit for the period 1992-2006.
Literature Cited
Anthony, R.G., E.D. Forsman, A.B. Franklin, D.R. Anderson, K.P. Burnham, G.C. White, C.J. Schwarz, J. Nichols, J. Hines, S.H Ackers, L.S. Andrews, B.L. Biswell, P.C. Carlson, L.V. Diller, K.M. Dugger, K.E. Fehring, T.L. Fleming, R.P. Gerhardt, S.A. Gremel, R.J. Gutierrez, P.J. Happe, D.R. Herter, J.M. Higley, R.B. Horn, L.L. Irwin, P.J. Loschl, J.A.Reid, and S.G. Sovern. 2006. Status and trends in demography of northern spotted owls, 1985-2003. Wildlife Monographs No. 163: 1-48.
Forsman, E. 1995. Spotted Owl Monitoring Protocols for Demographic Studies. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pacific Northwest Research Station. Corvallis, OR. 11 pp.