The Mexican Spotted Owl
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The Mexican
Spotted Owl is one three subspecies of spotted owls. The Environmental
Conservation Online System describes the birds as having brown and white spots
on their grayish-brown abdomens, backs, and heads, giving them their name. The
Defenders of Wildlife report that they’re usually about 16-19 inches tall with
a wingspan ranging from 42-45 inches. Male are generally smaller than females
and they can live to be about 16 to 17 years old. Interestingly, according to
the Environmental Conservation Online System, they have dark eyes rather than
light like most owls, which, according to Owling.com, makes them easy to
identify.
HABITAT
The
Environmental Conservation Online System states that these birds tend to live
in old-growth forests with very high tree densities, high canopies, and
multi-storied levels that are primary spots for nesting. They are also known to
inhabit communities with vertical-walled rocky cliffs that are good for
protected nesting and roosting. They usually live in areas that have a water
source nearby and at elevations of 4,100-9,000 feet.
DIET/ HUNTING
According
to the Defenders of Wildlife, the Mexican Spotted Owls are nocturnal hunters
that prey on small mammals. These include wood rats, mice, voles, rabbits,
gophers, bats, birds, reptiles, and arthropods like crickets and grasshoppers.
They tend to find elevated perches to find prey.
THREATS
 |
| The effects of a wildfire on the owls' habitat. |
As
indicated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan, these creatures
were listed as threatened in the Endangered Species Act on March 16, 1993 for
the following reasons: habitat destruction/degradation, climate change, human
activity, the predation of Grey Horned Owls, and encroachment of the Barred Owl.
According to Our Endangered World, logging of old-growth forests is the main
cause for habitat destruction. This is more of a problem in the United States
than in Mexico because forestry in Mexico is not as damaging as forestry in the
United States. This makes it likely that while the owl population in Mexico is
lower, it is more stable than the population in the United States. The
Defenders of Wildlife reports there being an estimated 2,106 individuals in the
United States today.
The Defenders of Wildlife state
that the climate in the regions these owls inhabit is becoming drier and
hotter. This poses a threat because these organisms rely on rainfall to
increase the amount of vegetation, which then increases the prey population.
The lack of rain increases the risk of wild fires as well.
| The green coloring is specific to the subspecies Mexican Spotted Owl. |
RANGE
The
Environmental Conservation Online System states that this particular subspecies
has the largest range of all Spotted Owl subspecies and can be found in
southern Utah and Colorado, mountain ranges in Arizona and New Mexico, parts of
Western Texas, and even Northern and Central mountain ranges in Mexico.
RECOVERY PLAN
According
to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the recovery plan for this organism
consists of four major steps: management, monitoring, research, and
implementation. The management aspect of this plan includes Protected Activity
Centers (PACs) that include 600 acres of land that surround know owl nesting
sites. These areas may be mechanically treated to lower the risk of wild fires.
This may require an analysis of the PACs to see which require the treatment.
10- 20% of the owls’ nesting/roosting habitats will also be managed in order to
help the recovery of the owl.
It will be
important to monitor the owl populations in these habitats to see if the
population is stable and/or growing. The habitats will also be monitored in
order to determine if management of those lands is still required.
Things like
the owls’ relationship to their habitats, their biological interactions, and
population and ecosystem structures will need to be researched in order to
increase their understanding of the Mexican Spotted Owl so there can eventually
be more recovery plan implementations in later years.
The
implementation of this plan is estimated to cost a minimum of about $42,628,000.
The owl populations are expected to recover in 2022 if implementations of each
part of this recovery plan are successful.
RESOURCES
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan
Our Endangered World
Environmental Conservation Online System
Defenders of Wildlife
PICTURES (in order as they appear)
http://hawksaloft.org/2012/06/21/gila-mexican-spotted-owl-study/
http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/stories/130114.html
http://www.krisweb.com/krissheepscot/krisdb/html/krisweb/watershed/riparian_lwd.htm
http://www.krisweb.com/krissheepscot/krisdb/html/krisweb/watershed/riparian_lwd.htm
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/30862223
http://www.owl-pictures.com/spotted_owl.html
https://ncfp.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/0966_ben.jpg
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=8EC7D980-1&printfullpage=true
https://ncfp.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/0966_ben.jpg
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=8EC7D980-1&printfullpage=true
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