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From: grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: "Sparred" Owl
Message-ID: <1990Oct17.123613@Unify.com>
Date: 17 Oct 90 19:36:13 GMT
References: <1990Oct16.085100@Unify.com> <1138@sun13.scri.fsu.edu>
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Reply-To: grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello)
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In article <1138@sun13.scri.fsu.edu>, sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu (Daan
Sandee) writes:

> In article <1990Oct16.085100@Unify.com> grp@Unify.com (Greg
Pasquariello) writes:
> >Last night I received a newsletter from my old birding group
> >in NJ, and there was an article about hybridization
> >between Barred and Spotted Owls in the Pacific Northwest
> >Apparently, this has happened in at least two cases, one in 
> >Washington, and one in Oregon.  This has caused some concern
> >among biologists that the more aggressive Barred Owl might
> >threaten the species status of the Spotted Owl.
> >
> >-Greg Pasquariello	grp@unify.com
>
> I've read the same thing somewhere but I haven't been able to find
where.
> As I remember, the Barred Owl is invading California, and hybridizing
with
> Spotted Owl occasionally. As it is less specialized in choice of
habitat, it
> is going to win out wherever they meet. If that trend continues, the
A.O.U.
> will have to lump them, according to their criterium - successful
hybridiz-
> ation occurs frequently when they meet. I haven't heard about Arizona
> (Southern Spotted Owl).

Brought my newsletter today.  The article appeared in the New York
Times, August 14, 1990.  The two confirmed hybrids were at Mount Baker,
in the northern cascades in Wash., and east of Medford, about 600 miles
from Mt Baker, and in Southwestern Oregon.
 

> As for concern : there is no evidence (apparently) of human
involvement.
> So it appears to be a natural process.

Actually, it is felt that human involvement is _exactly_ why the
hybridizations
occur.  Logging of the Spotted Owl's old growth habitat has allowed the
Barred Owl access to the area, as it is much more adaptable to the
cut-over
area.

> 
> Daan Sandee                                          
sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu
> Supercomputer Computations Research Institute
> Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4052  (904) 644-7045

--

-Greg Pasquariello	grp@unify.com