Spotted Owl

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Spotted Owl

	Scientific name: Strix occidentalis
	Family Name: Strigidae
	Are they endangered? Spotted Owls are close to being threatened. (IUCN Red List: Lower risk/Near threatened) In 1988, they were listed as threatened but they have moved to Nearly threatened. They are red-listed on the 2007 National Audubon Society Watchlist which means that their numbers are decreasing so much that worldwide conservation efforts need to be done. The United States Fish & Wildlife Service Threatened and Endangered Species System lists two kinds of spotted owls as threatened. They are Mexican Spotted and Northern Spotted.
	What are their past/present problems? Man cuts down the trees where they live and changes the habitat so that prey leaves the hunting area. When this happens, the Spotted Owls die off. Its enemies are the Great Horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, and ravens.

What do they look like? Spotted Owls are dark brown with lots of white spots. They have dark eyes and a yellow beak. Their coloring helps the bird to camouflage itself in the trees where it lives.

How big are they? These birds are between 16 and 19 inches long. If their wings were spread out, as in flying, they would be about 48 inches wide.

How many eggs do they lay? Females lay from 1-4 whitish eggs once per year. The eggs hatch in about 30 days.

How long do the fledglings stay in the nest? Nests are built in holes and spaces in trees or caves. They might use a cliff, but it will be high up in the trees. The young birds [owlets] stay in the nest about 5 weeks.

When do they hunt? They hunt during the night. (nocturnal)

What do they eat? Spotted Owls eat small mammals like MICE, large insects, flying squirrels and birds.

Where do they live? They live in Mexico, United States, and Canada.

What kind of place do they like to live in? They like tall, woody areas where they can hide—and still catch prey. They stay in damp pine forests with tall, full trees.

Interesting facts:

	You won’t see this bird very often because it likes to hide in thick trees. They sit close to the trunk of the tree.
	The babies [owlets] start out completely white in color.
	They are not endangered worldwide, and the numbers in the U.S. are beginning to decrease.