Date: 11/4/24 9:34 am From: Ryan Phillips via groups.io <norcalbirding...> Subject: Re: [EBB-Sightings] Oakland-sighted Burrowing Owl Predation??
Hi All,
Both fencing/structures above 3 feet near burrows and dogs off leash are
issues for mortality in Burrowing Owls. As well as people approaching owls.
The dogs and people can flush the owls and when flushed they are not
focused on predators and are easily predated on, which I have observed. So
if there is a combination of predator perches and dog/human disturbance
this is a recipe for high mortality. This is why when we do surveys we
check for raptors. If raptors are present we stop the survey until the
raptor has left.
If fencing is far enough back from used burrows this could outweigh the
issues from dog/people disturbance. In areas like this I am in favor of
fencing because if no human/dog disturbance the owls are more likely to
focus on predators and not flush, but instead stay at or in a burrow. We
have seen this work at multiple sites.
Ryan
*Ryan Phillips*
Wildlife Biologist, M.Sc.
(831) 234-7324
www.talonecological.org
On Mon, Nov 4, 2024, 9:19 AM Peter Rauch via groups.io <peterar=
<berkeley.edu...> wrote:
> Berkeleyside contained an article
> <https://www.berkeleyside.org/2024/10/30/cesar-chavez-park-off-leash-dogs-burrowing-owls> > which mentioned that the remains of a Burrowing Owl was observed in the
> grasp of a Cooper's hawk,
>
> "... a Cooper’s hawk had eaten a burrowing owl in Oakland by perching and
> waiting for it to emerge from its burrow. Only a wing remained...."
>
> Can anyone confirm the (former?) existence of the eaten owl, its burrow
> site/location, who observed the event(s of hawk perching, and/or eating)?
>
> I checked GGBA-chat, eBird, and EBB-sightings archives but found nothing
> regarding this presumably important event.
>
> Peter Rauch
> Kensington
>
>
>
>
