| "Who's Whoo-ing" In Your Backyard? |
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We are enlisting residents from Westchester, Putnam, and
Fairfield Counties as "citizen scientists" to determine the
region-wide distribution of two common owl species, the
eastern screech owl (Megascops asio) and the barred owl
(Strix varia) along an urban-rural gradient north of NYC. Click
on their picture for more info on each species (links to another
site). We are also encouraging our volunteers to look an
additional species, the great-horned owl (Bubo virginianus).
Fairfield Counties as "citizen scientists" to determine the
region-wide distribution of two common owl species, the
eastern screech owl (Megascops asio) and the barred owl
(Strix varia) along an urban-rural gradient north of NYC. Click
on their picture for more info on each species (links to another
site). We are also encouraging our volunteers to look an
additional species, the great-horned owl (Bubo virginianus).
| Eastern Screech Owl |
| Barred Owl |
| Great-horned Owl |
- Screech, barred, and great-horned owls can be
surveyed for year-round.
- Our methods are very easy. Residents conduct 6
surveys between March and November for each
species of owl. Surveys consist of playing a CD of
recordings of an owl species' calls for 10 minutes, and
recording if a response is heard.
- No intense training is required, since you are simply
playing a CD (burnable tracks of owl calls are available
for download on this site) on your own property and
listening for a response. No prior knowledge of what an
owl sounds like is needed, since you are listening for
the same sound that is on the CD.
- Click on 'About' above for more info on joining us or
'Directions' above for detailed instructions.
ABOUT THIS SURVEY
HOW TO SURVEY
- This data will be used to find out where these owls live, if
they co-occur, and what habitats and areas they tend to
live in or avoid. Owls are important predators in the
suburban ecosystem, and most flourish to an extent in our
area. However, we know very little about why they are
found in a particular suburban area versus another.
- This entire project is part of the MRGP's Wildlife
Technician Program (WTP), and is being managed by
Kyle Bardwell. It is also an extension of the doctoral
research of Christopher Nagy, a staff member at the
Gorge.
Please look through this site to find out more information
and contact us if you wish to participate! Thank you for your
interest!
Contact information:
Mianus River Gorge Preserve, Inc.
167 Mianus River Road
Bedford, NY 10506
Phone: (914) 234-3455
Email: owlcall@mianus.org
and contact us if you wish to participate! Thank you for your
interest!
Contact information:
Mianus River Gorge Preserve, Inc.
167 Mianus River Road
Bedford, NY 10506
Phone: (914) 234-3455
Email: owlcall@mianus.org
WHY PARTICIPATE?
QUESTIONS?
| A Citizen Science Study of Suburban Owls |