The Coastal Western Screech-Owl Project
See the Call Dictionary tab for a reference guide to the different calls, with spectrograms, audio, and the context each one was heard in.
Background
Western Screech-Owls (Megascops kennicottii) were once the most abundant owl across much of coastal British Columbia, Canada. Over the past century their numbers have declined dramatically: a 2006 study (Elliot 2006) estimated an annual rate of decline of 17% on Vancouver Island, and as much as 32% annually in the Lower Mainland. These declines resulted from changing landscapes, habitat loss, and the invasion of Barred Owls (Strix varia) radiating westward from eastern North America. This project was born out of a need to address the causes of these declines and better understand the ecology of the coastal owls. This project is primarily housed through the Quantitative Ecology Lab under the supervision of Dr. Michael Noonan at the University of British Columbia. The project collaborates with many practitioners, governmental bodies, as well as other academics.
News & Updates
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