Dec. 1, 2000 When the Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis
caurina) was federally listed as a threatened species in 1990,
environmental groups working in the Pacific Northwest quickly
embraced the animal as a mascot for the natural areas of the
region. Studies conducted early in the decade indicated that the
birds had a strong affinity for old growth trees, and the mature
forests were assumed to be equivalent to Spotted Owl habitat. In
the last decade, many acrimonious battles have been pitched over
the fate of land which is simultaneously home to the owls and
full of economically valuable timber. But beneath the din of
these conflicts, little attention has been paid to other factors
which may be influencing the species. Results from a long-term
study published this month by the Ecological Society of America
provide insight into the population dynamics of these birds of
prey and explore the role which climate and habitat quality play
in determining the survival of this species. The study,
published in the