RESEARCH

SHORT-EARED OWL

PUBLICATIONS


Articles and reports related to MRF's study of Short-eared Owls will be listed in this section as they are published. 

Geographic and habitat fidelity in the Short-eared Owl (PDF, 3 MB)
This M.Sc. thesis by Kristen Keyes, completed in 2011, summarizes MRF research on Short-eared Owls from 2008 through 2010, largely in eastern Ontario. It begins with an introductory chapter that reviews Short-eared Owl natural history and North American population declines.  The main chapters address 1) using stable isotope analysis to investigate spatial origins of Short-eared Owls, 2) using repeated evening surveys to assess occupancy, detectability, and habitat use across seasons, and 3) documenting nest-site characteristics, success, and threats facing the eastern Ontario population.

Pastureland Birds in the Kingston Region of Eastern Ontario, 2005 (PDF, 532 KB)
This report details the results of Short-eared Owl courtship surveys and general avian point counts conducted near Kingston in 2005 to assess habitat issues for the Short-eared Owl and other grassland species at risk, and also addresses the public stewardship that was encouraged as a complement to the field surveys.  The field survey results suggest that observing courtship may not be a reliable indicator of subsequent breeding at that location, underlining the need for telemetry research to study the movements of this species in greater detail.

Short-eared Owl Monitoring in Southern Ontario, 2003 (PDF, 888 KB)
This report summarizes the results of searching approximately 40 known or suspected breeding territories across southern Ontario during the 2003 breeding season, and includes notes on vegetation and other habitat features at sites where Short-eared Owl presence was confirmed.


© 2002- The Migration Research Foundation Inc.