Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) breeding habitat use within altered forest landscapes

Michael B. Whitfield; Maureen Gaffney

Treesearch

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) breeding habitat use within altered forest landscapes

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Michael B. Whitfield, Maureen Gaffney

Year:

1997

Type:

General Technical Report

Station:

Northern Research Station

Source:

In: Duncan, James R.; Johnson, David H.; Nicholls, Thomas H., eds. Biology and conservation of owls of the Northern Hemisphere: 2nd International symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-190. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station. 498-505.

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Abstract

We investigated Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) habitat use in eastern Idaho and northwestern Wyoming. Great Gray Owls were not found in severely altered habitats, but young were fledged in areas where 17 to 26 percent of formerly continuous forest had been clearcut. Average clutch (2.7) and brood (2.3) sizes were comparable to other populations, whereas juvenile mortality in the first 60 days post-fledging may have exceeded 60 percent. Habitat features were measured at independent owl activity locations, and compared pairwise with measurements at associated random points. Fledged juveniles selected micro-habitats with greater cover than was found at random locations.

Parent Publication

Biology and conservation of owls of the Northern Hemisphere: 2nd International symposium

Citation

Whitfield, Michael B.; Gaffney, Maureen. 1997. Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) breeding habitat use within altered forest landscapes. In: Duncan, James R.; Johnson, David H.; Nicholls, Thomas H., eds. Biology and conservation of owls of the Northern Hemisphere: 2nd International symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-190. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station. 498-505.