Western Screech-Owl kennicottii subspecies
(Megascops kennicottii kennicottii)

Summary

Picture of bird
© Joe Furhman
For additional photos and vocalizations, visit Dendroica. (Link opens in a new window.)

In Canada, the Western Screech-Owl kennicottii subspecies occurs only in coastal forests of British Columbia. Local Christmas Bird Count data from within its Canadian range indicate a large decline in the population in the 1990s (National Audubon Society 2010); circumstantial evidence suggests predation by the newly-arrived Barred Owl may be the cause of that decline (Elliott 2006). This subspecies was assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada as Special Concern in 2002 (COSEWIC 2002) but was re-assessed as Threatened in 2012 (COSEWIC) based on declines in the southern part of its range and probable declines in the northern part. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

See also:

Western Screech-Owl
Western Screech-Owl macfarlanei subspecies
 

Designations

Listing of the main designations for the species
DesignationStatusDateSubspecies, population
COSEWIC (Canada)Threatened2012Western Screech-Owl kennicottii subspecies
SARA (Canada)Special Concern2005Western Screech-Owl kennicottii subspecies
Bird Conservation Region StrategyPriority Species2013 

Population status

Geographic areaStatusReliability
CanadaLarge DecreaseMedium
 

Population estimate

Canada< 5,000 adults
 

Distribution maps

 

Migration strategy, occurrence

Resident

Responsibility for conservation of world population

CanadaLow

Conservation and management

The Western Screech-Owl kennicottii subspecies is found in low elevation forests on the British Columbia coast, especially riparian woodlands, although it seems less tied to that habitat type than the macfarlanei subspecies of the British Columbia interior (COSEWIC 2002). The primary cause of its decline on the southern British Columbia coast is thought to be predation by Barred Owls, which arrived in the region in the late 1970s and were common by the 1990s (Elliott 2006). The Western Screech-Owl may also be particularly prone to collisions with vehicles, especially when foraging for earthworms during wet weather (Cannings and Angell 2001; see also Bishop and Brogan 2013 and Machtans et al. 2013). It is tolerant of human activity and commonly found (at least formerly) in suburban parks; it also readily uses nest boxes for roosting and nesting (Cannings and Angell 2001). For information on the legal status of this species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and to view available recovery documents, see the SARA Registry.

 

Bird conservation region strategies

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:

  • conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
  • stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
  • management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
  • other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

BCRs, marine biogeographic units, and sub-regions in which the species is listed as a priority
RegionSub-region and priority type
Northern Pacific RainforestNorthern Pacific Rainforest, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon Region
 

References