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SURVEY TECHNIQUES FOR THE WORLD’S OWLS -
A QUESTIONNAIRE
            "The white owl in the belfry sits."
                - Alfred Tennyson, The Owl
 
Do you conduct scientific surveys of owls?

Here is your opportunity to contribute to a major synthesis of owl survey techniques.  We are summarizing owl survey techniques throughout the world for a major new set of survey standards.  Results of this project will be compiled into an owl survey information system to (1) share globally among owl researchers, and (2) suggest some standard protocols for surveying owls.

Download the owl survey questionnaire here (in rich text format) ... fill in with your owl survey methods ... and email or post to:

David H. Johnson
Northwest Habitat Institute
P.O. Box 855
Corvallis OR 97339  USA

   DJowl@aol.com


Overview:  Surveying for owls is fundamental to their conservation.  Many techniques to determine the presence (or absence) of owls have been developed.  Likewise, a number of techniques are being used to find owl nests and study the demographic performance of owls.

Survey techniques differ with the species of owl being surveyed, their habitats, their nocturnal/diurnal habits, the tools and technology available to the surveyors, and the safety concerns of the surveyors.

The purpose of this study is to develop an information system around the techniques for locating and studying basic demographic aspects of the owls of the world.  Once completed, summaries from this work will provide methodologies and technologies that have proven successful (as well as unsuccessful) in studying owls around the globe.

Of particular interest, the authors desire copies of survey protocols, published and unpublished survey techniques, and reports/notes on successful (and unsuccessful) survey efforts.  The authors are providing selected questions within a “Survey Techniques Form” to solicit specific information in 4 main focus areas:   1) Aspects of Owl Biology Relevant to Surveys, 2) Techniques for Presence/Absence Surveys, 3) Surveys as part of Long-term Monitoring Efforts, and 4) Locating Owl Nests.  As part of this project, the authors will also be developing a network of owl researchers from around the world with experience, or an interest, in survey techniques.

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROJECT.  In this project, we are asking owl researchers for their preferred or usual methods of surveying owls.  Your contribution is important to the conservation of the world’s owls.  The attached questionnaire is a means for contributing to this endeavor.  Please include your name as you would like to see it acknowledged in the final publication.
 

This questionnaire and project were presented at an international conference on owl ecology:

     Johnson, D. H., and B. G. Marcot. 2000. Survey techniques for the world's owls - fundamentals to conservation. Presented at: Owls 2000 Conference: The biology, conservation and cultural significance of owls. Canberra, Australia, 19-23 January 2000.


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