Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis Scientific name definitions

The Spotted Owl is one of the most-studied and best-known owls in the world. This degree of scientific attention is the result of this owl's association with late seral stage conifer forests of high commercial value (1 Forsman, E. D., E. C. Meslow, and H. M. Wight (1984). Distribution and biology of the Spotted Owl in Oregon. Wildlife Monographs 87. Close , 2 Verner, J., K. S. McKelvey, B. R. Noon, R. J. Gutierrez, Jr. Gould, G. I. and T. W. Beck. (1992b). "Assessment of the current status of the California Spotted Owl, with recommendations for management." In The California Spotted Owl: a technical assessment of its current status., edited by J. Verner, K. S. McKelvey, B. R. Noon, R. J. Gutierrez, Jr G. I. Gould and T. W. Beck, 3-26. Albany, CA: Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-133, U.S. Forest Serv. Close , 3 Interior, U.S. Dept. (1992). Recovery plan for the Northern Spotted Owl: draft. Portland, OR: U.S. Dept. Interior. Close ). The bird's ecology and conservation are the topic of vigorous debate among foresters, wildlife ecologists, academics, politicians, social scientists, and economists (e.g., 4 Dixon, K. R. and T. C. Juelson. (1987). The political economy of the Spotted Owl. Ecology 68:772-776. Close , 5 Simberloff, D. (1987). The Spotted Owl fracas: mixing academic, applied and political ecology. Ecology 68:766-772. Close , 6 Mckillop, W. (1992). Use of contingent valuation in Northern Spotted Owl studies: a critique. J. Forestry 90:36-37. Close , 7 Sample, V. A. and D. C. Le Master. (1992). Economic effects of Northern Spotted Owl protection. J. Forestry 90:31-35. Close , 8 Thomas, J. W. and J. Verner. (1992). Accommodation with socio-economic factors under the endangered species act-more than meets the eye. Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 57:627-641. Close , 9 Meslow, E. C. (1993). Spotted Owl protection: unintentional evolution toward ecosystem management. End. Sp. Update 3/ 4:34-38. Close , 10 Yaffee, S. L. (1994). The wisdom of the Spotted Owl: policy lessons for a new century. Covelo, CA: Island Press. Close ). Six major management plans and four reviews of the owl's ecological status have been developed to enhance conservation of the species (see 3 Interior, U.S. Dept. (1992). Recovery plan for the Northern Spotted Owl: draft. Portland, OR: U.S. Dept. Interior. Close , 2 Verner, J., K. S. McKelvey, B. R. Noon, R. J. Gutierrez, Jr. Gould, G. I. and T. W. Beck. (1992b). "Assessment of the current status of the California Spotted Owl, with recommendations for management." In The California Spotted Owl: a technical assessment of its current status., edited by J. Verner, K. S. McKelvey, B. R. Noon, R. J. Gutierrez, Jr G. I. Gould and T. W. Beck, 3-26. Albany, CA: Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-133, U.S. Forest Serv. Close , 11 Dunbar, D. and I. Blackburn. (1994). Management options for the Northern Spotted Owl in British Columbia. Surrey, BC: B.C. Environment. Close , 12 Interior, U.S. Dept. (1995). Recovery plan for the Mexican Spotted Owl: draft. Albuquerque, NM: U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Close ). In addition, several literature reviews and a symposium devoted to the owl have been completed (13 Campbell, R. W., E. D. Forsman and B. M. Van Der Raay. (1984). An annotated bibliography of literature on the Spotted Owl. Victoria, BC: Ministry of Forests. Close , 14 Gutierrez, R. J. (1985). "An overview of recent research on the Spotted Owl." In Ecology and management of the Spotted Owl in the Pacific northwest., edited by R. J. Gutierrez and A. B. Carey, 39-49. Portland, OR: Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-185, U.S. Forest Serv. Close , 15 Gutierrez, R. J. (1986). A review of the recent research on the Northern Spotted Owl. Oregon Birds 12:105-123. Close , 16 Gutierrez, R. J. and A. B. Carey. (1985). Ecology and management of the Spotted Owl in the Pacific northwest. Portland, OR: U.S. Forest Serv. Close , 17 Agriculture, U.S. Dept. (1988). Final supplement to the environmental impact statement for an amendment to the Pacific northwest regional guide. Portland, OR: U.S. Forest Serv. Close ).

Since the early 1980s, the political controversy has overshadowed the bird itself. Despite the extraordinary research effort devoted to this denizen of western North American forests, there is much still to be learned about its behavior and ecology. If we have learned one thing about the influence of the Spotted Owl on wildlife conservation, it is that the solution to conserving a threatened species that is still relatively widespread is exceedingly complex.

This suggests that conservation and management of entire faunal communities and the ecosystems in which they reside will be a daunting task. Yet the Spotted Owl has served as a catalyst for innovative research and as a stimulus for more comprehensive conservation planning. Scientists and wildlife managers quickly advanced the science of ornithology and developed novel conservation strategies while studying the ecology of this engaging species.

Spotted Owls are described as three subspecies, the Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), the California Spotted Owl (S. o. occidentalis), and the Mexican Spotted Owl (S. o. lucida) (18 American Ornithologists' Union (1931). Check-list of North American Birds, 4th Edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Lancaster, PA, USA. Close , 19 American Ornithologists' Union (1957). Check-list of North American Birds. Fifth edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, DC, USA. Close ). Because of the ecological variation exhibited among these subspecies and the differences in their conservation strategies, we generally treat them separately hereafter.