Characteristics of Roost Sites Used by Burrowing Owls (Athene Cunicularia) Wintering in Southern Texas

Williford, Damon; Woodin, Marc C.; Skoruppa, Mary Kay; Hickman, Graham C.

doi:10.1894/0038-4909(2007)52[60:corsub]2.0.co;2

Cited by 11 publications

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“…Wintering Burrowing Owls in southern Texas have been observed using roost sites near highways and urban areas and appear to be tolerant of activites such as mowing and plowing (Williford et al 2007). Burrowing Owls also hunt along roads at night (Brenckle 1936, Ratcliff 1986).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Successful management of a migratory bird species requires a comprehensive understanding of its winter ecology, but this is lacking for Burrowing Owls (Holroyd et al 2001; but see Woodin et al 2007). Although a large body of data exists on the use and selection of nest and roost sites by the Burrowing Owl in its breeding range (MacCracken et al 1985, Rich 1986, Orth and Kennedy 2001, Restani et al 2001, Smith and Belthoff 2001, Belthoff and King 2002, Poulin et al 2005, only a few studies in Arizona (Estabrook 1999), Texas (Ortega 2003, Williford et al 2007, Keppers et al 2008, and Oklahoma (Butts 1973) have focused on use and/or selection of winter habitat and roost sites.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…While unusual roost sites for Burrowing Owls have been documented regularly in Texas and elsewhere (Coulombe 1971, Gleason and Johnson 1985, Rich 1986, Trulio 1997, Williford et al 2007, the use of road culverts has not been reported widely in the literature. Abbott (1930) reported that Burrowing Owls residing within the city limits of San Diego, California, lived in culvert drains beneath the streets.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Abbott (1930) reported that Burrowing Owls residing within the city limits of San Diego, California, lived in culvert drains beneath the streets. Williford et al (2007) found that wintering Burrowing Owls in agricultural areas often utilized road culverts made of concrete, steel, or cast iron, which accounted for 74% of all roost sites. We examined factors influencing selection of roadside culverts by comparing characteristics of culverts used as roost sites ABSTRACT.-The conversion of coastal prairie to farmland in southern Texas has drastically reduced the number of available animal burrows, thereby forcing western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) wintering in southern Texas to use nontraditional roost sites such as roadside culverts.…”

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Factors Influencing Selection of Road Culverts as Winter Roost Sites by Western Burrowing Owls

Williford

Woodin

Skoruppa

2009

Western North American Naturalist

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Factors Influencing Selection of Road Culverts as Winter Roost Sites by Western Burrowing Owls

Williford

Woodin

Skoruppa

2009

Western North American Naturalist

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“…In addition, though breeding habitat requirements are well studied (Lincer and Clark, 2007), little is known about non-breeding season ecology. Recent studies have focused on burrowing owl ecology during the non-breeding season (Holroyd and Trefry, 2010;Mrykalo et al, 2009;Williford et al, 2007;, but most reports of nonbreeding season observations have been opportunistic in nature. Knowledge of burrowing owl ecology in human-altered landscapes, as well as non-breeding season ecology, is important to the development of conservation strategies for the preservation of this species.…”

Section: Chapter 2 Seasonal Food Habits Of Burrowing Owls In Human-amentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Food Habits of Burrowing Owls (Athene Cunicularia) in Human-Altered Landscapes

Wingert¹

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In 2004, I initiated a year-long study to investigate the food habits of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia). Burrowing owls have been found in a variety of human-altered landscapes; however, little is known about burrowing owl food habits in urban landscapes. Burrowing owl food habits during the non-breeding season are also largely undocumented, despite increasing concern over the survival of overwintering burrowing owls. Differences in prey consumption between reproductive and non-reproductive owls during the breeding season have not yet been examined. I collected pellets over a 12 month period at four study sites affected by different levels of human alteration in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California. Data was collected at four study sites representing natural (Wind Wolves), semi-natural (Allensworth Ecological Reserve), agricultural (Friant Kern Canal), and urban (Bakersfield) landscapes. Invertebrates, primarily ground dwelling insects, were the most commonly consumed prey type, found in 96% of all pellets examined. Among vertebrates, mammals were the most commonly consumed (18.5% of all pellets). Shannon-Weiner diversity indices identified differences in prey diversity consumed between seasons within each site and between sites within seasons, except during the breeding season where diversity was the same at all sites. The diversity indices at Wind Wolves (natural site) and Bakersfield (urban site) were the same, while the diversity indices at Allensworth Ecological Reserve (semi-natural site) and Friant Kern Canal (agricultural site) were the same. Binary logistic regression was used to determine if consumption of individual prey types varied by site, season, and a site/season interaction. Mammals were consumed in greater proportions during the breeding season at most sites compared to other seasons. The proportion of pellets containing mammals during the breeding season decreased as the level of human-alteration increased, with mammal consumption highest at Wind Wolves (60.0%) and lowest at Bakersfield (13.1%). Consumption of several insect categories differed by site and/or season (Coleoptera, Dermaptera, and Orthoptera), but overall consumption of insects was not different by either factor. To assess differences in prey consumption between reproductive and non-reproductive owls, pellets collected during the 2005 breeding season were classified as having come from a nest burrow or a non-nest burrow based on positive identification of reproduction. Shannon-Weiner diversity indices and binary logistic regression were calculated for this data set. No differences were detected in overall diversity or in the proportional consumption of individual prey categories. The results of this study indicate that burrowing owls have a highly variable diet and may have sufficient ecological plasticity to allow them to adjust their food habits to the prey species available in human-altered landscapes. However, the implications of altered food habits on burrowing owl fitness in heavily disturbed landscapes, partic...

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Factors affecting detection probability of burrowing owls in southwest agroecosystem environments

Manning

2011

J Wildl Manag

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Estimating range‐wide population trends of western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) requires standardized survey protocols that correct for detection bias in environments that support large owl populations. High concentrations of owls exist in irrigated agroecosystems within the southwest United States, yet little is known about the factors that affect detection bias during owl surveys in these systems. I used closed‐population capture‐recapture models to evaluate 4 factors that could affect the probability of a surveyor detecting an owl activity center (i.e., nest burrow) during visual surveys where owls are the focal object and analyzed the relationship (linear or curvilinear) between specific factors and detection probability. I recorded 1,199 detections of owls from 132 capture‐recapture surveys within 12 sites of the Imperial Valley agroecosystem in California, USA between 16 April and 20 May 2006. I also conducted 96 time budget surveys throughout the day and used mixed linear models to evaluate the effect of each factor on probability of an owl activity center being available for detection (i.e., ≥1 owls above ground) during surveys. Model selection results indicated that detection probability was influenced by ambient air temperature interacting with wind speed. Detection probability followed a curvilinear relationship that resembled bell‐shaped curve along a temperature gradient, with the maximum detection probability shifting as a function of wind speed. At low temperatures, detection probability declined with increased wind speed, but this relationship was reversed at high temperatures, producing a 3‐dimensional pattern in detection probability characterized by a saddle‐shaped hyperbolic paraboloid response surface. The probability of an activity center being available for detection declined curvilinearly with increased temperature and explained 51% of the variation in detection probability. Given the broad range of detection probabilities, correcting visual survey counts for detection bias is necessary for comparing population estimates among regions and through time. Survey designs intended to estimate abundance of owls in southwest agroecosystems should incorporate methods to estimate and correct for variation in detection probability that include measurements of ambient temperature and wind speed for use as covariates. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

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Characteristics of Roost Sites Used by Burrowing Owls (Athene Cunicularia) Wintering in Southern Texas

Cited by 11 publications

References 19 publications

Factors Influencing Selection of Road Culverts as Winter Roost Sites by Western Burrowing Owls

Factors Influencing Selection of Road Culverts as Winter Roost Sites by Western Burrowing Owls

Seasonal Food Habits of Burrowing Owls (Athene Cunicularia) in Human-Altered Landscapes

Factors affecting detection probability of burrowing owls in southwest agroecosystem environments

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