The Mexican spotted owl, a threatened species, is found throughout Arizona — including the Tucson mountains, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and parts of Mexico.
Cindy Coffer Chojnacky Special to the Arizona Daily Star About twilight in the spring and summer, wildlife technicians roam the Southern Arizona mountains, seeking an elusive owl.
People are also reading… That includes ranges in the Coronado National Forest within 6,000- to 9,000-foot elevations: the Chiricahuas, Dragoons, Galiuros, Huachucas, Pinaleños, Rincons, Santa Catalinas and Santa Ritas. The National Park Service manages most of the Rincons in Saguaro National Park and surveys for Mexican spotted owls at least every three years.“At about sundown, the owl’s day is starting,” said Alex Grant, lead zone biologist for the Coronado.
Following Fish and Wildlife Service recovery guidelines, the teams will revisit the area three more times — at least a week apart — to make sure owls are occupying the area or have vacated it. This method is used to sample known Protected Activity Centers — 600-acre foraging areas around a 100-acre nesting/roosting area where owls have been found in past surveys.
Cabin owners on the mountain “are disappointed to find out they can’t put a new deck in during the summer,” because of spotted owl protections, said Neil Dutt, wildlife biologist for the Santa Catalina district. “However, we have found people are pretty receptive about protecting the owl. I am getting more questions about, ‘what can we do to help the owl?'"
The Mexican spotted owl is one of three spotted owl subspecies along with the northern spotted owl and the California spotted owl. The Mexican spotted owl is one of largest owls in North America, between 16 to 19 inches tall with a wingspan of 42 to 45 inches. Females are larger and heavier than males.
The technicians also check out new potential habitat identified by remote sensing technologies and also by familiarity with owl nesting preferences. Although the owl has a large geographic range, it’s habitat is narrow. It’s usually the top predator, Grant said. “That’s why the Mexican spotted owl is important. It’s a critical component of this habitat.”
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