Urban Screech-Owl Project
Objectives
The Eastern Screech-Owl (EASO; Megascops asio) is the focal species of our Urban Raptor Project, with goals to understand raptor habitat use and population dynamics in regions experiencing urbanization and land use change. In rapidly growing regions, obtaining a better understanding of how land use affects raptors is critical so these important predators can persist for generations to come!
Across the Northwest Arkansas Metro Area, we are surveying urban and rural forests to find active EASO territories and study what makes these sites suitable (or unsuitable) for EASO. We are also using GPS tracking technology to study how adult EASO home ranges are affected by urbanization. Lastly, in 2026, we are launching a nest box program to increase EASO nesting habitat in urban greenspaces and provide an important study system for this species!
Despite ranging across eastern North America, the life of EASO is poorly understood, as is the case with most owls.
EASO inhabit many regions with high human activity, including some suburban and urban areas. While these environments have an effect on the species that persist there and the structure of ecosystems, the field of urban ecology is still growing.
The challenges birds like EASO face in urban environments are many and include habitat loss, greater risk of encountering toxins (ie. rodenticide–a ubiquitous problem for raptors), and even increased presence of competitors/predators that may fare better in proximity to humans.
Raptors are not all affected equally by urbanization–some species do well and some don’t. How the EASO fares is largely not known. Citizen science data from some regions (e.g. Northwest Arkansas) suggests EASO may be disappearing from suburban and urban environments–sometimes even when plentiful greenspace is available!
Our study uses sites located along a gradient of urban to rural land. This allows us to make important comparisons to better understand the factors that affect EASO survival and habitat use in urban environments.
Nest Box Program
In winter 2025 and 2026, we will begin an EASO nest box program in Northwest Arkansas! You can help by becoming a nest box sponsor! Sponsors will have the opportunity to host a nest box and participate in data collection as citizen scientists!
In our first year of research, we’ve found that the younger forests in urban greenspaces and yards may have fewer nesting cavities for EASO. Additionally, these forests are great habitat for Barred Owls, which can be a predator of EASO.
By placing nest boxes in yards and greenspaces, we will increase nesting habitat for EASO across Northwest Arkansas and provide better protection from predators, like Barred Owls. Our goal is to deploy 40 nest boxes across the region. The program will provide us an important means to collect annual data on nest occupancy (is the habitat appropriate for owls?), owl survival (how long do they live?), and nesting success (how many chicks are raised successfully?).
Project Map
Many sites with active territories (bird icons) have photos, so be sure to click around and explore!
Site locations are not exact and have been obscured to protect owls and landowners involved in this study.