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Spotted  Owl  Controversy:  Ethics  VS  Economics  Elijah  Gordon  

 Introduction  

      The  northern  spotted  owl  has  always  been  an  iconic  image  in  the  Pacific  

Northwest,  but  just  mentioning  this  creature’s  name  will  bring  shudders  to  loggers  and  

many  locals  nearby.  Fear  over  its  existence  has  caused  riots,  gathered  the  attention  of  

many  government  agencies,  and  cause  people  to  tie  themselves  to  trees.    

  These  owls  have  lived  in  the  Old  Growth  forests  of  the  in  the  Pacific  Northwest  for  

hundreds  of  years,  feeding  on  the  rich  plant  and  invertebrate  life  created  by  the  decaying  

timber,  unique  to  an  old  growth  ecosystem.  The  towering  cedars,  firs,  hemlocks,  and  

spruces,  which  have  served  as  the  owl's  habitat,  have  also  become  a  primary  source  of  

timber  for  a  multi-­‐billion  dollar  logging  industry.    

The  timber  industry  isn’t  the  only  thing  threatening  the  spotted  owl.  The  

opportunistic  barred  owl  has  made  its  way  to  the  West  Coast.  The  barred  owl  and  the  

spotted  owl  are  like  siblings.  They’re  a  closely  related  species,  competing  for  resources.  

They  compete  for  the  best  trees  to  roost  in,  as  well  as  their  primary  food  source,  juicy  

flying  squirrels.  Barred  owls  are  less  picky,  giving  them  a  competitive  advantage.    

This  paper  examines  the  current  and  historic  threats  posed  against  the  spotted  owl  

and  the  ecosystems  that  keep  them  alive.  There  have  been  many  conservations  and  

proposed  ideas  to  help  solve  the  challenges  this  species  has  encountered.  But  the  question  

still  stands;  should  we  let  nature  take  its  course  and  learn  from  our  mistakes,  or  should  we  

continue  to  fight  for  the  survival  of  this  species?  Do  we,  as  humans,  have  the  ability  to  use  

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our  Earth’s  resources  to  save  them  from  extinction?  Will  we  use  those  precious  resources  

to  benefit  them,  or  keep  them  for  ourselves?  

Biology  

  Understanding  a  species’  biology  and  

the  role  it  plays  in  ecosystem  functions  is  

crucial  to  successful  species  management.  

The  northern  spotted  owl  is  on  the  

endangered  species  list  and  is  one  of  three  

subspecies  of  spotted  owls.  It  is  dark  to  

chestnut  brown  in  color  with  white,  round  

spots  all  around  its  neck,  back,  head,  and  

under  parts.  Their  natural  habitat  is  the  old  

growth  forests  stretching  from  northern  

California,  all  the  way  to  British  Columbia,  

Canada.    

  Since  monitoring  began  in  1985,  there  has  been  a  population  decline  of  77  percent  in  

Washington,  68  percent  in  Oregon,  and  55  percent  in  northern  California  (ABC).  There  are  

only  around  2,000  northern  spotted  owls  left  in  the  wild,  and  the  numbers  continue  to  

drop.  These  owls  don’t  migrate  or  move  from  their  territory  unless  their  habitat  is  

disturbed.  For  example,  if  a  logging  company  cuts  down  the  forest  for  lumber,  the  owls  are  

ultimately  forced  to  leave  because  those  trees  are  not  only  home  to  the  owls,  but  also  

home  to  the  owl’s  food  source.  The  spotted  owl’s  diet  consists  of  small  rodents  such  as  

(Spotted  Owl)

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northern  flying  squirrels,  red  tree  voles  and  woodrats;  which  can  only  be  found  in  old  

growth  forests.    

  Like  most  owls,  spotted  owls  are  nocturnal  and  are  "Perch  &  Pounce"  predators.  They  

sit  on  tree  branches  at  night,  using  their  keen  vision  to  scan  for  prey  in  the  dark.  When  a  

potential  meal  is  spotted,  they  silently  swoop  down  and  capture  the  prey  with  their  talons.  

Most  birds  do  not  have  the  ability  to  chew  their  food  and  owls  are  no  exception.  Small  prey  

items  are  swallowed  whole,  while  larger  prey  is  torn  into  smaller  pieces  before  being  

swallowed.    

  The  meal  will  then  pass  though  two  special  stomachs  to  help  break  down  the  usable  

nutrients.  Its  stomach  cannot  digest  the  fur,  bones,  teeth,  or  feathers.  These  “extra”  parts  

are  formed  into  a  tight  pellet  inside  the  owl,  which  is  later  regurgitated.  Owl  pellets  help  

render  a  complete  picture  of  their  diet,  by  showing  the  variety  of  prey  species  living  in  the  

area.  Pellets  are  also  helpful  because  they  have  the  capacity  to  show  what  an  owl  eats  

from  place  to  place,  and  from  season  to  season.  Understanding  any  changes  to  a  species  

diet,  is  critical  for  conservation  efforts.  If  the  pellets  can  tell  us  what  the  owls  are  eating,  

they  can  also  tell  us  how  other  species  are  thriving  in  the  same  environment.    

Northern  spotted  owls  are  monogamous  and  usually  mate  for  life.  Each  pair  of  

spotted  owls  needs  a  large  territory  of  its  own  for  hunting  and  nesting.  Nests  are  often  

constructed  in  snags  (dead  standing  trees)  that  have  hollows  large  enough  for  the  owls.  

The  northern  spotted  owl  is  an  indicator  species.  Indicator  species  are  plants  and  animals  

that,  by  their  presence,  abundance,  or  lack  of  abundance  illustrate  a  distinct  aspect  of  the  

state  or  quality  of  an  environment.  Forests  that  are  able  to  sustain  spotted  owls,  indicates  

that  there  is  a  large  diversity  of  biomass  in  the  ecosystem.  Declaring  the  spotted  owl  as  an  

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indicator  species  was  a  huge  step  in  conservation  efforts.  This  stride  is  not  only  vital  for  the  

spotted  owl  and  its  habitat,  but  also  for  anything  sharing  that  habitat.  

The  spotted  owl  has  also  been  called  an  umbrella  species.  An  umbrella  species  is  a  

species  with  a  wide  range,  with  requirements  for  living  that  are  as  high  or  higher  than  

other  animals  in  its  habitat.  This  means  that  if  that  species'  requirements  are  met,  then  

many  other  species  in  the  area  will  be  met  as  well.  In  the  spotted  owls’  case,  they  require  

old  growth  forests.  If  you  protect  the  old  growth  forests  for  the  spotted  owls,  you  will  

essentially  be  protecting  everything  else  living  within  that  habitat.  This  is  a  great  shortcut  

used  in  conservation  management  to  grant  protection  for  several  species  at  once.  Instead  

of  having  to  worry  about  several  species  in  one  area,  you  can  focus  efforts  on  one  species  

that  will  benefit  the  range  and  habitat  of  the  others.    This  is  economical  for  conservation  

planning,  as  it  takes  less  time,  effort,  and  funding.  Naming  the  spotted  owl  both  an  

indicator  and  an  umbrella  species  has  given  this  species  the  spotlight  and  attention  it  

needs  for  protection.    

Deforestation  

  Western  hemlock  and  douglas  fir  support  Washington's  timber  industry.  The  state  is  

second  in  the  nation  for  timber  production,  but  the  cutting  of  old  growth  forests  has  

caused  a  lot  of  friction  between  environmentalists  and  loggers.  From  an  environmental  

perspective,  the  benefits  of  preserving  the  northern  spotted  owl  and  its  habitat  far  

outweigh  any  of  the  costs.  Saving  the  spotted  owl  will  save  an  entire  ecosystem  that  will  

ultimately  benefit  plants,  animals,  and  even  humans.  Because  the  spotted  owl  is  

considered  an  indicator  species,  it  can  be  used  to  gauge  the  health  of  the  ecosystem  that  

provides  its  habitat.    

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These  ancient,  old,  growth  forests  and  the  life  they  harbor  have  formed  a  complex  

web  of  symbiotic  relationships  that  play  a  very  important  role  in  preventing  soil  erosion,  

floods,  and  landslides  They  also  provide  clean  water  for  agriculture  and  cities,  which  

enhance  the  productivity  of  salmon  fisheries,  and  enrich  the  soil  with  vital  nutrients.  No  

amount  of  reforestation  can  replace  the  extensive  life  and  biodiversity  that  these  highly  

developed  ecosystems  contain.  Old  growth  forests  have  taken  tens  of  thousands  of  years  

to  evolve  and  grow.  

What  kind  of  society  would  trade  the  greatness  of  these  rich  forests  and  the  

abundance  of  life  that  inhabits  them,  for  a  stack  of  paper  and  some  two-­‐by-­‐fours?  To  allow  

such  trade  is  equivalent  to  destroying  a  timeless  piece  of  art  that  has  taken  centuries  to  

create.  It’s  difficult  to  put  into  perspective  because  nothing  we  do,  as  humans,  will  take  

nearly  as  many  centuries  to  accomplish.  When  President  Richard  Nixon  signed  the  

Endangered  Species  Act  into  law  in  1973,  he  stated,  "Nothing  is  more  priceless  and  more  

(Redwood  National  Forest)

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worthy  of  preservation  than  the  rich  array  of  animal  life  with  which  our  country  has  been  

blessed."  (Nixon)  

Society  should  preserve  this  species  and  the  unique  ecosystem  it  represents  not  

only  for  aesthetic  value,  but  for  scientific  value,  as  well.  The  northern  spotted  owl  and  the  

habitat  it  inhabits  are  of  vast  scientific  value,  giving  us  opportunities  for  insight  and  for  

increasing  our  understanding  of  this  unique  ecosystem  and  its  role  in  our  lives  and  in  those  

of  future  generations.  To  date,  little  research  has  been  done  on  these  forests.  Allowing  

these  virgin  forests  to  fall  is  permanently  destroying  the  possibility  of  exploration  and  the  

benefits  generated  by  new  discoveries.  Had  the  obscure  organism  known  as  penicillin  

become  extinct  before  its  discovery,  millions  of  human  lives  would  have  been  lost.  Who  

knows  what  secrets  these  forests  may  hold?  

The  timber  industry,  on  the  other  hand,  maintains  that  the  benefits  of  saving  the  

spotted  owl  and  its  habitat  are  tiny,  compared  to  the  harm  that  will  be  done.  Reduced  

logging  in  old-­‐growth  forests  will  be  harmful  to  all  Americans,  and  particularly  devastating  

to  those  communities  in  the  Pacific  Northwest.  For  most  independent  lumber  mills,  these  

forests  are  the  primary  source  of  lumber.  Many  of  these  saw  mills  were  dependent  on  old-­‐

growth  cuts  because  their  equipment  can  only  handle  trees  with  large  dimensions.  

According  to  one  report,  if  the  volume  of  old  growth  declines,  up  to  28,000  jobs  could  be  

lost,  leading  to  "increased  rates  of  domestic  disputes,  divorce,  acts  of  violence,  

delinquency,  vandalism,  suicide,  alcoholism,  and  other  problems."  (González-­‐Cabán)  

Timber  industry  officials  continue  to  state  that  cutting  the  old  growth  is  essential  if  

present  and  future  generations  are  to  be  provided  with  the  wood  and  paper  products  they  

need.  Once  these  trees  have  reached  their  maturity,  most  of  their  energy  is  spent  simply  

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maintaining  themselves,  rather  than  in  new  growth.  It  is  in  society's  best  interest  to  replace  

these  inactive  forests  with  healthy,  young  trees  that  will  provide  a  sufficient  supply  of  

timber.    

In  1986,  a  worried  environmentalist  group  petitioned  the  U.S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  

Service  to  list  the  owl  as  an  "endangered  species,"  a  move  that  would  bar  the  timber  

industry  from  clearing  these  lands.  In  June  1990,  after  years  of  heated  negotiation  and  

litigation  between  the  government,  environmentalists,  and  the  timber  industry,  the  

northern  spotted  owl  was  declared  a  threatened  species  (González-­‐Cabán).  Under  this  

provision,  timber  companies  are  required  to  leave  at  least  40%  of  the  old-­‐growth  forests  

intact  within  a  1.3  mile  radius  of  any  spotted  owl  nest  or  activity  site,  a  provision  that  is  

strongly  opposed  by  the  timber  industry  (Adams).  Industry  representatives  claim  that  the  

measure  will  leave  thousands  of  Northwest  loggers  and  mill  workers  jobless.  So  they  

ignored  it,  they  continued  to  cut  down  

old  growth  stands  in  places  that  were  

newly  protected,  illegal  logging  areas.    

On  May  1991,  Federal  District  

Judge  William  Dwyer  issued  a  

landmark  decision  finding  that  the  

Forest  Service  had  violated  the  

National  Forest  Management  Act  by  

failing  to  implement  an  acceptable  

management  plan  for  the  northern  

(Old  Growth  Forest  In  Washington  State)

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spotted  owl.  His  decision  stopped  timber  sales  across  the  spotted  owl  region  until  the  

Forest  Service  implemented  an  acceptable  plan.  A  ban  on  blocking  timber  sales  in  Northern  

Spotted  Owl  habitat  affected  17  national  forests  in  Washington,  Oregon  and  Northern  

California.    

         The  consequences  for  the  rural  economy  in  many  areas  of  the  Pacific  Northwest  

were  devastating.  As  many  as  135  mills  were  closed,  pushing  unemployment  up  to  25  

percent  in  some  small  communities  (Adams).  The  mill  closings  affected  cutters,  loggers,  

and  truck  drivers,  including  other  businesses  that  provided  services  to  them  were  also  out  

of  work.  Once  booming  logging  towns  soon  became  ghost  towns  within  the  next  year.  

Economic  setbacks,  due  to  saving  complex  ecosystems  and  endangered  species  is  a  small  

price  to  pay.  If  we  continue  to  focus  on  quantity  over  quality,  we  will  exhaust  the  earth’s  

precious  gifts.  We  have  already  caused  extensive  damage  to  the  environment,  plants  and  

animals  due  to  greed  and  capitalism.  It  is  certainly  time  for  us  to  pay  for  our  mistakes.  

The  Barred  Owl  Threat  

Due  to  the  controversies  surrounding  The  

Northern  spotted  owl,  it  has  become  one  of  the  

most  intensely  studied  species  in  the  world.  Ten  

years  of  research  and  more  than  1,000  published  

studies  detail  the  threats  to  its  survival.  (Botkin)  

With  the  listing  of  the  spotted  owl,  came  a  

recovery  effort  that  radically  reduced  timber  

harvests  in  the  Pacific  Northwest  and  protected   (Barred  Owl  located  At  FHS  Wildlife  Rehabilitation  Center)  

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large  portions  of  the  owl's  old-­‐growth  habitat.  Yet  owl  numbers  continue  to  drop,  and  

some  of  the  threats  are  not  all  man-­‐made.  Now  the  spotted  owl  faces  a  new  and  even  

more  desperate  battle,  one  that  has  it  staring  straight  into  the  face  of  extinction.  The  new  

threat  comes  not  from  people  but  from  an  invasion  of  its  own  cousin—the  aggressive  and  

highly  adaptable  barred  owl—into  the  spotted  owl’s  last  territories.  Researchers  say  that  

the  invasive  barred  owl  has  been  playing  a  critical  role  in  the  continued  decline  of  spotted  

owls.  Barred  owls  are  native  to  eastern  North  America.  It  is  believed  they  began  expanding  

west  of  the  Mississippi  River  around  the  turn  of  the  20th  century.  This  could  have  been  a  

natural  range  expansion,  human-­‐caused,  or  a  combination  of  both.  The  most  common  

theory  is  that  the  barred  owl’s  westward  movement  was  caused  by  changes  to  the  

environment  in  the  Great  Plains  as  people  increasingly  settled  there  and  dramatically  

altered  the  landscape.  There  are  several  theories  about  why  barred  owls  moved  westward.  

One  theory  holds  that  the  treeless  expanse  of  the  Great  Plains  once  formed  a  barrier  that  

the  owls  couldn't  cross.  As  people  settled  the  plains,  planting  trees  in  urban  parks  and  

windbreaks,  and  suppressing  fires  that  kept  trees  from  growing,  they  created  stepping-­‐

stones  for  barred  owls.  The  settlers'  farms  and  grain  silos  also  increased  the  rodent  

population,  providing  food  for  the  owls.  Barred  owls  can  grow  more  than  two  feet  tall,  

compared  to  a  foot  and  a  half  for  spotted  owls.  They're  also  more  aggressive  and  more  

adaptable.  They  disrupt  the  nesting  of  spotted  owls,  compete  with  them  for  food,  and  

chase  them  out  of  their  territory.  Every  time  that  happens,  you  have  one  less  pair  of  

spotted  owls  on  the  landscape.  

A  study  of  the  interaction  between  the  two  species  in  western  Oregon,  led  by  

biologist  David  Wiens  of  the  U.S.  Geological  Survey,  showed  that  barred  owls  nested  earlier  

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and  more  often  than  spotted  owls  and  produced  an  average  of  4.4  times  as  many  young  

over  a  three-­‐year  period  (ABC).  Barred  owls  also  require  smaller  territories  because  they'll  

eat  almost  anything,  from  rodents  to  amphibians  to  crayfish,  whereas  spotted  owls  will  eat  

only  a  handful  of  species,  such  as  flying  squirrels  and  red  tree  voles.  

So  what’s  the  big  deal  anyway?  Why  does  it  matter  that  these  barred  owls  are  

coming  into  the  spotted  owls  territory?  Well,  most  owls  in  the  same  genus  are  split  up  by  

geographic  range,  and  of  those  with  some  degree  of  range  overlap  most  use  different  

habitat  types.  In  most  cases,  owls  that  coexist  within  the  same  habitat  belong  to  different  

genera,  and  coexistence  is  

supported  by  differences  in  

behavior,  such  as  hunting  

methods,  and  diet  or  prey  

selection.  The  problem  is,  the  

barred  owl  and  spotted  owl,  aside  

from  being  in  the  same  genus,  

share  the  same  habitat  

requirements.  Due  to  the  rapid  expansion  of  the  barred  owl  into  the  range  of  the  spotted  

owl,  evolution  has  not  had  time  to  play  out.  The  barred  owl  is  the  slightly  larger  and  more  

aggressive  of  the  two  species,  plus  it  has  some  biological  advantages  over  the  spotted  owl.  

Barred  owls  get  by  with  much  less  acreage  per  territory  which  means  they  can  densely  

pack  the  habitat  occupied  by  spotted  owls.  A  recent  study  in  southwest  Oregon  found  that  

both  species  use  patches  of  old  (greater  than  120  years  old)  conifer  forest,  and  both  select  

riparian  habitats  for  foraging,  thus,  there  is  competition  for  nest  sites  and  food  (Bart).  

(Barred  Owl  Located  at  for  heavens  sake  wildlife  rehabilitation)  

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Barred  owls  also  take  a  wider  variety  of  prey  species  than  spotted  owls,  including  prey  that  

is  active  during  the  day.  This  gives  barred  owls  a  competitive  advantage  over  spotted  owls.  

To  top  it  off,  barred  owls  nest  more  often,  more  successfully,  and  produce  more  young  

than  spotted  owls.  

In  some  areas,  these  barred  owls  have  completely  replaced  the  rare  spotted  owl.  

Forests  along  Northern  California's  Redwood  Creek  were  prime  spotted  owl  territory  in  the  

1990s,  but  then  barred  owls  showed  up  and  flourished,  replacing  the  native  species  (Bart).  

No  northern  spotted  owls  have  nested  in  the  area  for  years,  and  this  pattern  has  repeated  

itself  again  and  again.  But  some  evidence  suggests  that  removing  barred  owls  from  spotted  

owls'  territory  can  help  the  endangered  species  recover.  To  find  out  if  it's  worth  it  over  a  

wide  range,  the  United  States  Fish  and  Wildlife  Service  are  conducting  a  six-­‐year,  $3.5  

million  study  in  which  3,600  barred  owls  will  be  removed  from  areas  of  protected  forest  in  

California,  Oregon,  and  Washington  (OFWO).  

The  birds  will  be  removed  from  four  different  forests,  two  in  northern  California,  

one  in  Oregon  and  one  in  Washington.  Some  birds  will  be  captured  but  not  killed.  The  Fish  

and  Wildlife  Service  can't  ignore  the  invasion  because  it's  legally  required  to  help  rare  

species  under  the  Endangered  Species  Act.  Because  shooting  barred  owls  is  illegal  under  

the  migratory  bird  treaty  act,  selected  wildlife  agents  have  been  chosen  carry  out  this  

experiment.  The  federal  government  says  if  spotted  owls  come  back  after  barred  owls  are  

removed,  they  may  decide  to  kill  barred  owls  over  a  broader  area.  

The  idea  of  killing  thousands  and  thousands  of  these  beautiful  barred  owls  is  

unacceptable  to  many  people.  However,  watching  a  species,  like  the  spotted  owl,  go  

extinct  is  also  unacceptable.  An  advocacy  group  called  Friends  of  Animals  is  suing  to  stop  

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the  experiment.  The  group  doesn't  believe  the  government  can  make  a  moral  argument  for  

shooting  an  animal,  even  if  it  would  benefit  another  animal.  "To  go  in  and  say  we're  going  

to  kill  thousands  and  thousands  of  barred  owls,  literally  forever,  I  don't  see  that  as  being  a  

solution.  At  some  point  you  have  to  allow  these  species  to  either  figure  out  a  way  to  

coexist  or  for  nature  to  run  its  course,”  said  Michael  Harris,  legal  director  of  Friends  of  

Animals.  

In  the  end,  humans  are  ultimately  responsible  for  the  demise  of  the  northern  

spotted  owl.  People  cut  down  most  of  the  forest  that  these  owls  called  home,  they  made  

changes  to  the  Great  Plains,  which  in  turn  helped  move  the  barred  owl  west.  We  have  

altered  nature  and  caused  damages  that  no  amount  of  money  will  fix.  We  have  an  

obligation  and  a  responsibility  to  save  these  endangered  animals.  If  there  is  still  a  chance  

to  save  them,  I  think  we  should  use  our  recourses  to  the  fullest  to  do  so.  Economic  

setbacks  due  to  saving  complex  ecosystems  and  endangered  species  is  a  small  price  to  pay,  

extinction  is  forever,  and  that  is  what  we  are  facing.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 References      

 Lindenmayer,  D.,  Margules,  C.,  &  Botkin,  D.  (Botkin)  (2000).  Indicators  of  Biodiversity  for  Ecologically  Sustainable  Forest  Management.  Conservation  Biology,  14(4),  941-­‐950.    Bart,  J.  (Bart)  (1995).  Amount  of  Suitable  Habitat  and  Viability  of  Northern  Spotted  Owls.    Adams,  D.,  &  Brown,  G.  (Adams)  (1994).  The  Marginal  Cost  of  Species  Preservation:  The  Northern  Spotted  Owl.  Journal  Of  Environmental  Economics  And  Management,  26(2),  111-­‐128.      González-­‐Cabán,  A.  (González-­‐Cabán)  (1998).  A  willingness-­‐to-­‐pay  function  for  protecting  acres  of  spotted  owl  habitat  from  fire.  Ecological  Economics,  25(3),  315-­‐322.    Livezey,  K.  (Livezey)  (2009).  Range  Expansion  of  Barred  Owls,  Part  I:  Chronology  and  Distribution.  The  American  Midland  Naturalist,  161(1),  49-­‐56.    Weathers,  W.,  &  Hodum,  P.  (Weathers)  (2001).  Thermal  Ecology  and  Ecological  Energetics  of  California  Spotted  Owls.  The  Condor,  103(4),  678-­‐690.    LaHaye,  W.  (LaHaye)  (1999).  Nest  Sites  and  Nesting  Habitat  of  the  Northern  Spotted  Owl  in  Northwestern  California.  The  Condor,  101(2),  324-­‐330.      "Spotted  Owl  Populations  Are  Dropping  Rapidly,  Study  Says  |  American  Bird  Conservancy."  (ABC)  American  Bird  Conservancy.  Winter  2015.  Web.  29  Feb.  2016.    Livezey,  K.  (Livezey)  (2010).  Killing  Barred  Owls  to  Help  Spotted  Owls  I:  A  Global  Perspective.  Northwest  Naturalist,  91(2),  107-­‐119.    "Northern  Spotted  Owl."  (OFWO)  US  Fish  and  Wildlife  Services.  Oregon  Fish  and  Wildlife  Office,  2015.  Web.  29  Feb.  2016.    "Statement  on  Signing  the  Endangered  Species  Act  of  1973.,(Nixon)"  Richard  Nixon:  December  28,  1973.  Online  by  Gerhard  Peters  and  John  T.  Woolley,  The  American  Presidency  Project.