To Save One, Kill One!

In the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, a silent battle is unfolding—one that pits the survival of native spotted owls against the encroachment of invasive barred owls.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is at the forefront of this conservation challenge, grappling with how best to preserve dwindling populations of northern and California spotted owls amidst the relentless spread of their more aggressive counterparts, barred owls. On July 3rd, it released the final environmental impact statement on the proposed Strategy to Manage Invasive Barred Owls to Protect At-Risk Spotted Owls1.

“Barred owl management is not a matter of one owl versus another,” stated Kessina Lee, State Supervisor at the Oregon Office. “Without proactive barred owl management, northern spotted owls are likely to face extinction across most or all of their range, despite decades of collaborative conservation efforts.”

If adopted and fully implemented, the strategy would involve targeted removals of barred owls by trained professionals in areas where spotted and barred owls overlap within the northern spotted owl’s range. Additionally, it aims to curb the incursion of barred owls into the California spotted owl’s habitat. Public hunting of barred owls is not permitted under this proposed strategy, and lead ammunition will not be used in any lethal removal actions.

“Managing barred owls, like all efforts against invasive species, is a decision taken seriously by the Service,” Lee emphasized. “We have a legal obligation to prevent the extinction of federally listed northern spotted owls and support their recovery while addressing significant threats to California spotted owls.”

Originating from eastern North America, barred owls began migrating west of the Mississippi River in the early 20th century, possibly due to human-induced changes in the Great Plains and northern boreal forest. Consequently, barred owl populations now outnumber northern spotted owls across much of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Under the proposed strategy, the Service would obtain a permit under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, enabling designated Tribes, federal and state agencies, companies, or landowners to conduct barred owl management activities on their properties, subject to the strategy’s conditions, permit terms, and applicable state laws and policies. Implementers will be responsible for ongoing monitoring and reporting.

The final EIS and proposed strategy reflect extensive input received during the scoping and public comment phases, as well as feedback from cooperating agencies and Tribes. The Service anticipates announcing a final decision on the proposed strategy at least 30 days after the formal publication of the final EIS in the Federal Register.