THE NORTHERN SPOTTED OWL (Strix Occidentalis Caurina)

The Northern Spotted Owl is a threatened species, protected both by the state and federal governments under the Endangered Species Act and the California Endangered Species Act. Marin County, the Northern Spotted Owl’s most southern range, supports one of the last stable populations in the world.

The Northern Spotted Owl is a medium-sized, dark brown owl with a barred tail, white spots on the head and breast, and dark brown eyes surrounded by a prominent facial disk (the feathers surrounding the owls’ eyes). Marin County’s Northern Spotted Owl prefers habitat made up of mature Costal Redwood, Douglas Fur, and California Bay Laurel. Photo Credit: Elyse Omernick

What can we do to help protect the Northern Spotted Owl:

- Keep loud noises to a minimum during nesting season - Construction work, tree work, outdoor music (during day & night), gas powered leaf blowers. - Do not shout or make loud noises when you’re in a natural area. - Always stay on marked trails. - Keep dogs on a leash at all times (owl babies often perch on the ground shortly after leaving the nest). - Keep your cats indoors *An estimated 764 million birds are killed each year in the US & Canada by domesticated cats. - If you come across a Northern Spotted Owl, observe it from a distance and keep your visit short. Even though Spotted Owls can appear tame, our presence can interrupt their normal activities. - Photo Credit: Elyse Omernick Do not use rodenticides (poisoned rodents can be eaten by predators, including owls, and can make them sick or kill them).

The NSOs nesting season runs from Northern Spotted Owls and Barred Owls look quite similar. The easiest way to February 1st - July 31st each year. This differentiate them is the feather pattern on their chest. The NSO (left image) is a critical time in which the nesting has a spotted brown and white pattern, while the Barred Owl (right image) has pair will choose their nesting site, mate, a barred brown and white pattern. Please note the below photos that clearly and hopefully raise their young. illustrate these differences. Should you see what you believe is a Barred Owl, we ask that you report it to the appropriate agencies. Provide a description Threats to Northern Spotted Owls and the location. If possible, provide a photo and/or recording.

Spotted Owls in Marin County are not impacted by commercial tree harvesting operations as in many other parts of their range in the Pacific Northwest, but there are other threats here including:

- Urban development, noise and/or other disturbances by humans (e.g., construction, landscaping, and traffic) - Rodenticide poisoning - Off-leash dogs - Climate Change

- An additional threat is from Photo Credit: Elyse Omernick Photo Credit: Ken Shults competition with Barred Owls (Strix Varia), a closely related and **Report owl sightings to Amanda Culpepper - Environmental Scientist invasive species that outcompetes California Fish & Wildlife - (707) 428-2075 / Spotted Owls for resources. [email protected] or [email protected]

Produced by Marin Audubon Society