Juvenile burrowing owl movement and survival in a human‐altered landscape. (29th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Griffin, Eboni; Desmond, Martha; VanLeeuwen, Dawn
• Is Part Of: Wildlife Society bulletin. Volume 41:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 649
• Page End: 658
• Publication Date: 2017-11-29
• Subjects: agriculture -- Athene cunicularia -- burrowing owl -- greenspace -- New Mexico -- postfledging movements -- program MARK -- survival -- urban; Wildlife management -- Periodicals; Wildlife conservation -- Periodicals; 333.9540973
• DOI: 10.1002/wsb.838
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0091-7648

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Burrowing owls ( Athene cunicularia ) are increasingly moving into human‐altered landscapes, yet it is not well‐understood how these environments affect movements and survival. We studied postfledging juvenile burrowing owls ( n = 42) in urban, greenspace, and agricultural environments in New Mexico, USA, during 2012 and 2013. Agriculture was divided into heterogeneous and homogenous blocks (up to 1, 000‐m radius from nest) based on land‐cover continuity. Postfledging movement distance ( n = 31) was not influenced by year, sex, or landscape metrics within 600 m of the nest. Landscape metrics, however, did not account for visual barriers to movement including pecan orchards and residential areas within the agricultural landscape. Movement distances did vary by dominant environment, with owls in urban landscapes (80.9 m ± 20.1 SE, n = 4) moving shorter distances than owls in greenspace (552.7 m ± 117.0 SE, n = 7), homogenous agriculture (497.8 m ± 140.6 SE, n = 7), and heterogeneous agriculture (206.7 m ± 36.3 SE, n = 13). Juvenile postfledging survival was greater in landscapes with a greater percentage of agriculture ( β = 0.017, 95% CL = 0.017–0.018). Survival was greatest in heterogeneous and homogeneous agriculture (93% and 89%, respectively) followed by urban (67%) and greenspace (50%) environments. Greenspace had the greatest mortality rate, but was negatively correlated with agriculture, making it difficult to ascertain whether one of these metrics had a stronger influence on survival. Increased mortality in greenspace suggests urban parks and patches of native vegetation adjacent to urban development do not protect young owls. Owls in larger expanses of continuous cover had greater movements and utilized more satellite burrows. Programs managing for burrowing owls in human‐altered landscapes should avoid establishing artificial burrows and translocation sites in greenspace adjacent to urban areas, and, in the southwestern United States, should focus on agricultural areas. © 2017 The Wildlife Society. Abstract : We examined juvenile burrowing owl ( Athene cunicularia ) movement and survival in urban, greenspace, and agricultural environments in southern New Mexico, USA. Owls in urban landscapes moved shorter distances than in other land cover types and juvenile survival was greater in landscapes with a greater percentage of agriculture suggesting management areas and translocation sites should avoid urban parks and patches of native vegetation adjacent to urban areas.