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One of the world's most widely distributed owls, the Short-eared Owl breeds in marshes, grasslands and tundra in all provinces and territories throughout Canada (Wiggins et al. 2006). Because of their wide distribution Canada supports only a small proportion of the world population. The species is best monitored in Canada by the Christmas Bird Count and the Breeding Bird Survey, both of which indicate a large decrease in population since about 1970. This ongoing decline, along with declines in the quantity and quality of wintering habitat, led the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada to assess the species as Special Concern in 1994 and again in 2008 (COSEWIC 2008f). This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
The major threat to the Short-eared Owl is the loss and degradation of large intact grasslands, wetlands and coastal marshlands on which it relies for over-wintering and breeding (Campbell et al. 1990, Smith 1996, Booms et al. 2014). Additional factors may include roadkills, collisions and habitat fragmentation on the breeding grounds, which can lead to increased nest predation and changes in prey abundance (COSEWIC 2008f). Habitat fragmentation may be due in part to increased linear development (e.g., roads, power-lines, pipelines, seismic lines) to support industrial activities. Their nomadic and irruptive habits make it difficult to monitor and highlight the need for improved monitoring (Booms et al. 2014).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
