1. Canadian Wildlife Service
Proposed Listing of Short-eared Owl as Special Concern under the Species at Risk Act ᐊᑐᓕᖁᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᑕᐅᒍᒪᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᓯᐅᑎᑭᑦᑐᑦ ᐅᒃᐲᑦ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᒋᔭᐅᓕᕐᑐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᔭᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᑖᒍᑦ ᐆᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᓴᓪᓕᓗᐊᖁᓇᒋᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᖓᑎᒍᑦ
In April 2008, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assessed the status of the Short-eared Owl. COSEWIC determined that the Short-eared Owl should be considered a species of special concern.
Canadian Wildlife Service
ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐆᒪᔪᓕᕆᔨᖅᔪᐊᒃᑯᖏᑦ
June ᔫᓂ 2009
Doug Dance

2. CWS Briefed the NWMB June 2008 and December 2008 to inform them of the proposed listing and consultation approach
A consultation package was provided to communities in Winter 2009
The purpose of this presentation is to report the results of the consultation
ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐆᒪᔪᓕᕆᔨᕐᔪᐊᒃᑯᖏᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐆᒪᔪᓕᕆᔨᖅᔪᐊᒃᑯᖏᑕ ᑲᑎᒻᒪᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᔫᓂ 2008ᒥ ᑎᓯᐱᕆ 2008ᒥᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᑎᔭᕐᑐᑦᑐᓂᒋᑦ ᐊᑐᓕᖁᔭᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᑕᐅᒍᒪᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᕐᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒃᑲᐃᓂᕆᓂᐊᕐᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ
ᑲᑎᖅᓱᕐᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖑᔪᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᒥ 2009ᒥ
ᑖᓐᓇ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᒃᑲᐃᓇᓱᑦᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑐᑭᓯᒋᐊᕐᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ

3. Short-eared Owl ᓯᐅᑎᑭᑦᑐᖅ ᐅᒃᐱᒃ
Here is a photo of a Short-eared Owl. They are about 34 to 42 cm long (13 to 16 inches).
They have small ear tufts which gives them their name.
Large yellow eyes.
34 to 42 cm
34ᓂᒃ 42ᓄᑦ ᐆᒃᑑᑎ
Doug Dance

4. Annual Cycle… ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᐸᒃᑕᖏᑦ…
Drake Larsen
Arrive in Nunavut in April or May
Average of 5 eggs
Incubation for about 3 weeks
Leave Nunavut by late October
Feed on lemmings and other small mammals
ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᑉᐸᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᐃᕐᕆᓕᒥ ᒪᐃᒥᓘᓐᓃᑦ
ᑕᓪᓕᒪᓂᓗᐊᖑᐊᓂᒃ ᒪᓐᓂᖃᓲᑦ
ᐃᕙᓲᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓗᐊᖑᐊᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓂᒃ
ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᒃᑑᐸᐅᑉ ᓄᙳᐊᓂ
ᐊᕕᙵᖅᑐᓲᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ ᒥᑭᒃᑑᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᒫᒪᒃᑎᑦᑎᓲᓂᒃ
Mel Wilson
Short-eared Owls arrive in Nunavut in April or May.
They build their own nest and begin laying eggs by mid-June.
They lay an average of 5 eggs.
Females incubate the eggs for between 21 and 37 days
Short-eared Owls leave Nunavut by the end of October. We’re not sure where they winter.
They feed on lemmings and other small “furbearers”.

5. Habitat… ᓇᔪᖅᐸᒃᑕᖏᑦ…
Short-eared Owls range all across Canada and they typically nest in open areas (like fields or tundra).
This photo was taken near a Short-eared Owl nest near Cardinal Lake in the ISR in July The nest was in this patch of low shrubs somewhere.
Rian Dickson

6. Sightings of Short-Eared Owls in Nunavut (1971-2007)
ᓯᐅᑎᑭᑦᑐᑦ ᐅᒃᐲᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᖕᓂᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕘᒥ ( )
Here are locations where Short-eared owls have been reported in Nunavut, the different colours just represent different years that sightings were reported.

7. Proposed Status: Special Concern ᐊᑐᓕᖁᔭᐅᓂᖓᑕ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓂᖓ: ᐊᓱᒫᓗᒋᔭᐅᓕᕐᑐᑦ
Threats:
Habitat loss on wintering grounds
Habitat loss on breeding grounds in southern Canada
Pesticide use
ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᕈᑎᐅᔪᑦ:
ᐅᑭᐅᒃᑯᑦ ᓇᔪᒐᖃᑦᓯᐊᖏᓐᓂᖏᑦ
ᓇᔪᒐᖃᑦᓯᐊᖏᓐᓂᖏᑦ ᐱᑭᐅᖃᕐᕕᖏᓐᓂ ᖃᓪᓗᓛᓂ
ᖁᐱᕐᕈᐃᔭᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕐᑐᖃᖃᑦᑕᖕᓂᖓᓄᑦ
Population has been declining for 40 years
23% decrease in numbers in the last 10 years
ᐃᓚᒌᓂᙶᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓄᙱᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᖏᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂ 40-ᓂ
23% ᐅᓄᙱᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂ ᖁᓕᓂᑦ
COSEWIC has assessed the health of this population and determined it to be a species of Special Concern. Special Concern means that it is sensitive to human or natural disturbances or threats, and although the population is not bad declining at a rate that is high enough for the species to be considered Endangered or Threatened, we need to manage it appropriately to ensure it doesn’t become EN or TH.
This owl has suffered a continuing population decline over the past 40 years, including a loss of 23% in the last 10 years. 
In 19XX the population estimate for SE Owls in Canada was 20,000-40,000 individuals. The current estimate is between 12, 500 – 25,000 owls.
Habitat loss and degradation on its wintering grounds are most likely the major cause of their decline, but continuing habitat loss and degradation on its breeding grounds in southern Canada and pesticide use are secondary threats. Habitat loss and fragmentation affects their ability to find good nesting areas, reduces the food available to them and can increase the amount of predation. Pesticides have been found in the eggs of SEOW, and it may be affecting them the same way it affects Peregrine Falcons – leads to egg shell thinning and fewer eggs hatch.
It is worth it to note that this species nearly meets the criteria for Threatened status. They have declined about 23% in the last 10 years. If that number had been 30% in 10 years, they would probably have said they were Threatened.
Doug Dance

8. No prohibitions No critical habitat
What are the implications of Special Concern listing? ᑭᓲᐃᑦ ᐃᓚᒍᑦᓯᐅᑎᒐᔭᕐᐸᑦ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᒋᔭᐅᓕᕐᑐᒧᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᑕᐅᒍᓂ?
No prohibitions
No critical habitat
ᐱᔭᐅᑦᑕᐃᓕᔭᕆᐊᖃᖏᓐᓂᖃᔾᔮᖏᑦᑐᑦ
ᓴᐳᒻᒥᓂᖅᑕᖃᙱᓪᓗᓂ ᐆᒪᔪᖃᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐸᒡᕕᓴᒃᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᙱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ
Management Plan
ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎ
What will it mean if Short-eared Owls are listed as Special Concern?
A management plan will be required. A management plan outlines management measures to be taken to ensure the species doesn’t become endangered or threatened. A management plan will be written in cooperation with any interested Aboriginal organizations or Wildlife Management Boards, and it will involve all the provinces and territories that have short-eared owls.
Short-eared owls are under the management jurisdiction of the provinces and territories, although Environment Canada would play a role in ensuring that a national management plan under SARA is completed.
But there will be no additional restrictions on Short-eared Owls or their habitat than say what already may exist under Territorial legislation.

9. Community Consultations ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ
ᐊᕐᕕᐊᑦ - ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᑕᐅᒍᒪᓂᖓᓂᒃ
ᖃᖏᖠᓂᖅ - ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕿᑕᐅᒍᒪᓂᖓᓂᒃ
ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᖅ - ᓇᓪᓕᐊᒍᑐᐃᓐᓈᕈᓂ
ᖃᓄᐃᑦᓴᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᑐᑭᓯᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᐊᖃᕐᑐᑦ ᒥᑦᓵᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ
ᓴᓪᓖᑦ - ᓇᓪᓕᐊᒍᑐᐃᓐᓈᕈᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᓴᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᒋᔭᐅᓗᐊᖏᑦᑐᑦ
ᑭᐅᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᑦ
ᑎᑭᕋᖅᔪᐊᖅ
ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᖅᔪᒃ
Bathurst Inlet
ᖁᓪᓗᖅᑑᖅ
ᓴᓂᕋᔭᖅ
ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ
ᐃᖃᓗᑦᑑᑦᑎᐊᖅ
ᐅᒥᒻᒪᑦᑑᖅ
Arviat – Does not support the listing
Rankin Inlet – Does not support the listing
Baker Lake – Indifferent to the listing/need more information to make a decision
Coral Harbour – Indifferent to the listing/not necessarily concerned
Whale Cove – no reply
Chesterfield Inlet – no reply
Bathurst Inlet – no reply
Kugluktuk – no reply
Hall Beach – no reply
Sanikiluaq – no reply
Cambridge Bay – no reply
Omingmaktok – no reply

10. Next Steps ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐅᓛᓕᖕᒥᔪᑦ
CWS will make a formal request for decision on approval of the proposed listing of Short-eared Owl as Special Concern under the Species at Risk Act
ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐆᒪᔪᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑏᑦ ᑭᐅᔭᐅᓪᓚᑦᑖᕈᒪᓂᐊᓕᕐᑐᑦ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᒍᒪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᑐᓕᖁᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᓯᐅᑎᑭᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᒃᐱᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᒋᔭᐅᓕᕐᑐᒨᕐᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᑖᒍᑦ ᐆᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᓴᓪᓕᓗᐊᖁᓇᒋᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᖓᒍᑦ.

11. Does the Board have any comments or concerns regarding the community consultation approach and proposed listing of Short-eared Owl as a species of Special Concern?
ᑲᑎᒪᔩᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᖃᖅᐸᑦ? ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᒋᔭᖃᖅᐸᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᓕᖕᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕐᕕᒋᔭᐅᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᖁᔭᐅᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓯᐅᑎᑭᑦᑐᑦ ᐅᒃᐲᑦ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᖕᓇᖅᓯᔪᑐᑦ?
Doug Dance