Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) By Liz Yaslik NYC Ecology Wiki

About the Owl Small in size among other “eared” owls Nocturnal raptor Usually red or gray in color Found in suburban and rural areas Non- migratory (stays relatively close to home area)

Flickr Photo by Bobtravis

Habitat Found in suburban and rural areas Cavity nester but do not create the cavities themselves Lives in many parks in New York City Willing to use nest boxes placed in parks

Screech Owl in Nest Box Flickr Photo by Gilintx

Central Park Reintroduction Native to Central Park for decades Decrease in population from 1930s-1950s New York City Urban Park Rangers worked to reintroduce the owl into the park NYCUPR released 6 owls into Central Park -the owls were not equipped with monitoring devices 2001 & NYCUPR released 32 owls into Central Park - 30 of the owls were equipped with radio transmitters

New York City Central Park Flickr Photo by Jimbowen0306

Central Park Reintroduction Released owls were found to have 23% survival rate Suggests that about 77% of owls died or left the area Owl deaths due to lack of food, predation, impact with objects, or rodenticide poison None of the 7 owls released in 1998 were found 7 owls from the release remained in the park

Flickr Photo by Dobak

Tracking the Owls Owls were banded and equipped with radio transmitter backpacks One month after 2001 release, 12 of 17 birds equipped with radio backpacks had been separated from backpacks By 2003 all transmitter batteries had died Central Park bird watchers contacted researchers about sightings Call surveys using owl calls Collecting owl pellets to locate

Eastern Screech Owl Sightings Since 2001 Map Created By Liz Yaslik using Google Earth

Problems with Reintroduction Most of the owls had slipped out of transmitter packs Batteries of packs died A decrease in bird watchers could lead to a decrease in bird sightings, not necessarily a decrease in owls

Possible Causes of Owl Decrease Lack of males or females, slowing reproduction rates Poor weather conditions Increase in owl predators Collision of owls with other structures Habitat or cavity destruction/competitors Fewer bird watchers

Red Phase Eastern Screech Owl Flickr Photo by rbs10025

Importance of Reintroduction Maintain biodiversity in New York City Necessary for park ecosystem Create breeding pairs

Screech Owl Locations Since 2001

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Personal Observations Relatively difficult to track the owls Radio transmitters are not reliable Most owls left Central Park area, the owls may know which areas are best

Recommendations Since 77% of reintroduction population left the area, discontinue reintroduction Research why owls choose other areas Keep track of number of males and females Check availability of owl habitats, add more nest boxes if necessary Track the owls’ available food sources and reproduction rates

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Bibliography Andrle, Robert F The Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State. Ed. Janet R. Carroll. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Audubon New York. Audubon Sharon: Resident Animals, Our Resident Screech Owls. Belthoff, James R Home Ranges of Adult and Juvenile Eastern Screech-Owls: Size, Seasonal Variation and Extent of Overlap. J. Raptor Res. 27: DeCandido, Robert "The Screech-Owls of Central Park." Birder's World 16, no. 6: 58. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed March 1, 2009). DeCandido, Robert History of the Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) in New York City Urban Habitats 3.1 (2005): Gehlbach, F.R Eastern screech-owl (Otus asio). In Poole, A. & F. Gill, (Eds.) The birds of North America (No. 165). Philadelphia: Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: American Ornithologists' Union. Nagy, Christopher. “The Eastern Screech Owl Reintroduction Program in Central Park, New York City: Habitat, Survival, and Reproduction” (M.S. Biology Thesis, Fordham University, 2004), New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The Daily Plant: Screech Owls Return to Central Park. Robbins, Chandler S., Bertel Bruun, and Herbert S. Zim A Guide to Field Indentification: Birds of North America. New York: Golden Press. Sibley, David A National Audubon Society: The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Eds. Elphick, Chris, John B. Dunning Jr. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.