Barred owls have also emerged as a threat to the California spotted owl, a closely related subspecies in the Sierra Nevada and the mountains of coastal and Southern California.
In the wilds of British Columbia, the northern spotted owl has vanished; only one, a female, remains.
If the trend continues, the northern spotted owl could become the first owl subspecies in the United States to go extinct.
In a last-ditch effort to rescue the northern spotted owl from oblivion and protect the California spotted owl population, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed culling a staggering number of barred owls across a swath of 11 to 14 million acres in Washington, Oregon and Northern California, where barred owls — which the agency regards as invasive — are encroaching.
Persons:
Karla Bloem, ”
Organizations:
U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, Owl Center
Locations:
Pacific Northwest, California, Sierra Nevada, Southern California, British Columbia, United States, U.S, Washington , Oregon, Northern California, Minnesota