Long-eared owls nesting in Badlands National Park

Abstract

Long-eared Owls nest at high densities locally over the Great Plains where suitable habitat is limited (Bent 1938), yet , according to Whitney et al. (1978), this species is rare to uncommon in South Dakota. Especially west of the Missouri River, few nesting records have been reported. This paper reports the occurrence of Long-eared Owls in the Badlands National Park between May 1981 and June 1983. The birds were observed by Paulson and Bob Hodorff, a Forest Service technician, during monthly, 4-day bird censuses of Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) stands, and by Paulson alone during additional weekly searches between 26 April and 11 June 1983. Long-eared Owls nested in these juniper woodlands during all 3 years of the censuses. In 1983, 7 nests were found, 5 within an area much smaller than 1 square mile.

Citation

Paulson, Deborah D.; Sieg, Carolyn Hull. 1985. Long-eared owls nesting in Badlands National Park. South Dakota Bird Notes. 36(4): 72-75.