Whoo’s Ready for Owl Season?
Photo credit: Ann Nightengale
It’s almost time to start listening for owls. Owl season is from February to April and we are looking for volunteers interested in owl monitoring! Owl monitoring involves going out after sunset to various locations to listen for the Western Screech owl (Megascops kennicottii). This is a fun experience that allows you to get out in nature and really listen to your surroundings.
Did you know that the Western Screech owl doesn’t screech? It has a "bouncing ball" song: a series of 5–9 short, whistled hoots, speeding up ping-pong-ball fashion toward the end. Learn Western Screech Owl calls here.
Western Screech owl (Megascops kennicottii) mom and her four nestlings, found nesting in one of HAT owl boxes located on private property in the Highlands.
Western Screech owls have declined in our region by over 90% in the last 10 years. HAT launched the Western Screech Owl Monitoring Program to track and protect this species at risk. Each year, HAT does Western Screech owl monitoring to determine where these owls are present. Maintaining populations will require protecting forested areas along bodies of water in rural and residential areas. Additionally, the Western Screech owl can adapt to human presence and will use nest boxes. HAT works to protect forested areas and install nesting boxes. Interested in learning more about owls? Check out HAT’s Owl Stewardship Guide
Ways you can help owls:
Learn your owl calls with allaboutbirds.org or the Merlin Bird App. The western screech owl call sounds like a bouncing ball, and not a screech.
Take quiet walks through the woods at dawn or dusk and listen for owls. If you think you hear a Western Screech Owl, record a video or audio clip on your phone of the owls calling, and let us know! Your favorite park or property may be home to this precious and endangered bird. Email it to hatmail@hat.bc.ca and post it to iNaturalist.
Keep your cat indoors (they could hunt fledgling owls and other birds), and don't allow your dog to chase wildlife.
Donate to the Stewardship Program, your donations help us continue to monitor for species at risk.
If you are interested in volunteering with HAT for Western Screech owl Monitoring, email Danielle at danielle@hat.bc.ca or call 250.998.2428.