The spotted owl is a medium-sized owl native to western North America. In the 1980s and 1990s, the spotted owl became a symbol of the conflict between environmental protection and logging interests, as it was listed as a threatened species due to habitat loss from logging old-growth forests where it lived. There has been much debate around whether the spotted owl has gone extinct in the decades since.
Quick answer
No, the spotted owl has not gone extinct. However, spotted owl populations in the United States continue to be in decline and the species remains threatened.
Spotted owl background
The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a medium-sized owl measuring about 16-19 inches long with a wingspan of up to 42 inches. It gets its name from the white and brown spots on its head, neck, back, and wings. There are three subspecies of the spotted owl:
- Northern spotted owl (S. o. caurina) – ranges from southwest British Columbia through the Pacific Northwest to central California
- California spotted owl (S. o. occidentalis) – ranges from southern California up through central California
- Mexican spotted owl (S. o. lucida) – ranges from southern Utah and Colorado through Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas down into Mexico
The northern spotted owl subspecies is the one that has been primarily associated with logging controversies in the Pacific Northwest as around 90% of its range is within the redwood and Douglas fir forests of this region. The spotted owl mainly inhabits older mature forests and nests in tree cavities or broken tops of large trees. Its diet consists primarily of small mammals like woodrats, mice, voles and rabbits as well as birds.
Spotted owl population decline
Starting in the 1980s, conservation biologists began warning that the northern spotted owl population was in decline primarily due to logging of old-growth forests within its range. Studies estimated the species had lost around 50% of its habitat since European settlement of North America as mature and old-growth forests were logged. Fragmentation of their forest habitat was also resulting in higher predation rates for spotted owls.
In 1990, the northern spotted owl was officially listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. This highly controversial decision essentially halted logging on millions of acres of federal land to protect the owl’s habitat. The logging industry pushed back hard against the protections, resulting in a major “jobs vs. owls” debate at the time.
Scientific studies on population trends
Since the spotted owl was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, there have been a number of studies tracking its populations trends:
- A 1992 study found northern spotted owl sites were declining at a rate of 7.5% per year in Washington and 4.4% in Oregon
- A 2011 meta-analysis found the northern spotted owl population was declining an average of 3.7% per year across its entire range
- A 2013 study found California spotted owls declining at a rate of 3.2% per year in their range
- A 2020 study estimated the rate of decline of northern spotted owls in Washington at 5.6% per year from 1985 to 2013
While the rate of decline has slowed in some areas like Oregon, scientists say spotted owl populations overall continue to decline across their ranges due to ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.
Current conservation status
Currently, the northern spotted owl remains listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act while the California and Mexican spotted owls are listed as species of concern. Here is the current conservation status for each subspecies:
| Subspecies | ESA Status | Estimated Population |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Spotted Owl | Threatened | Around 3,500 pairs |
| California Spotted Owl | Species of Concern | Around 1,500 pairs |
| Mexican Spotted Owl | Species of Concern | Around 1,200 pairs |
While habitat protections have helped stabilize populations in some areas, northern spotted owls are still losing habitat faster than protections can be implemented. Small population sizes also puts the owls at greater risk from inbreeding, disease, and stochastic events.
Reasons for continuing population decline
Despite over 30 years of conservation efforts, multiple factors continue to drive declining spotted owl populations:
Habitat loss
Loss of old-growth forest habitat remains one of the main threats facing spotted owls. While logging of old growth has been greatly reduced on federal lands, some logging continues in owl habitat on private lands. Wildfires have also burned hundreds of thousands of acres of spotted owl habitat in recent decades.
Fragmentation
Fragmentation of forest habitat by logging and roads has been shown to reduce spotted owl site occupancy and make owls more vulnerable to predators like the barred owl. Conservation plans aim to maintain large blocks of contiguous forest to stem habitat fragmentation.
Competition from barred owl
The larger and more aggressive barred owl has rapidly expanded its range into the Pacific Northwest since the mid-1900s. Barred owls compete with spotted owls for habitat and resources and have displaced spotted owls in some areas. Controlling barred owl populations is challenging and controversial.
Climate change
Climate change may exacerbate other threats to spotted owls. Higher temperatures and increased drought may reduce and alter forests owl habitats. Milder winters may also favor barred owl expansion into spotted owl range.
Is the spotted owl extinct?
No, the spotted owl has not gone extinct. All three subspecies continue to persist across their respective ranges, although in reduced numbers and fragmented habitats.
Some local extirpations of northern spotted owls have been documented in portions of the range edge, but the species remains distributed from British Columbia to central California. Efforts to track the demographics and population trends of spotted owls continue by federal and state agencies.
While the spotted owl remains threatened and in decline, ongoing conservation efforts under the Endangered Species Act have prevented it from going extinct. However, climate change, invasive species, and habitat loss continue to pose challenges for recovering stable spotted owl populations in the long-term.
Steps being taken to conserve spotted owls
A number of conservation measures are being implemented to protect and recover spotted owl populations:
Habitat protection
Millions of acres of public forests have been set aside as reserves for spotted owls under federal forest plans and Habitat Conservation Areas. Logging is restricted in these areas to maintain suitable owl habitat.
Designated critical habitat
In 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated around 9.6 million acres of critical habitat across Washington, Oregon, and California to protect essential nesting, roosting, and foraging areas for northern and California spotted owls.
Barred owl management
Limited experimental removals of barred owls have been conducted in some areas to test whether reducing barred owl pressures can benefit spotted owl populations. Results have been mixed so far.
Captive breeding
A captive breeding and release program for northern spotted owls was initiated in 2007, but was ended in 2017 due to high mortality of captive owls. Captive breeding has shown more success for California spotted owls in producing owls for release.
Monitoring and research
Regular monitoring of spotted owl populations and habitat continues to assess trends and help inform management decisions. Research also continues into topics like habitat use and genetics to aid conservation.
Outlook for the future
The long-term outlook for spotted owls remains mixed. While extinction has been avoided due to conservation efforts, spotted owl populations remain in gradual decline over most of their range even with current habitat protections.
Maintaining sufficient suitable habitat, addressing barred owl competition, minimizing habitat fragmentation, and metapopulation management will likely be key to recovered stable spotted owl populations. The uncertainties of climate change also pose challenges for sustaining habitats.
In the short-term, spotted owls are likely to persist in reduced and fragmented populations. However, ensuring their long-term viability likely depends on continued dedicated management and conservation of old-growth forest ecosystems across their range.
Conclusion
The spotted owl remains an iconic and controversial species even decades after the major “jobs vs. owls” debates of the 1990s. While not extinct, spotted owl populations across North America have continued declining due to ongoing threats like habitat loss, fragmentation, invasive species, and climate change impacts.
Conservation efforts have been unable to reverse population declines so far but have prevented extinction. Spotted owls face an uncertain future, but ongoing habitat protections and dedicated management of vital old-growth forest ecosystems provide hope the species can persist over the long term.
