Are great horned owls endangered?

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an organization at the international level.

It has signed agreements with governments since 1975 to protect endangered species of flora and fauna.

Various endangered species are declared through this international organization.

While some species of owls are listed as endangered by CITES, the great horned owl is not listed as an endangered owl.

There are many owls belonging to this species in America and Canada.

They are found in all North American and South Canadian habitats, such as forests, woodlands, swamps, and deserts.

While great-horned owls are generally resident of those areas, some subspecies migrate to the south, especially in winter when food is scarce, and return to their former territories when winter subsides.

Are Great Horned Owls protected?

Different countries protect different species of animals and plants with their specific laws.

Great-horned owls are protected in several countries around the world, including Canada, Mexico, America, and Australia.

Hunting, taking, killing, capturing, and selling the eggs of great-horned owls are prohibited in all these countries by various laws.

Great-horned owls are protected in the United States under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

Besides, this species of owl was protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act in Canada in 1994, similar to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States.

Although these species of owls do not cause any harm to humans, if these species of owls face any pet or human safety problem, the administration can relocate that particular owl if it is deemed to be appropriate.

How do great horned owls protect themselves?

All species of owls, including great-horned owls, are adapted to protect themselves.

You will see that owl species match the color of their feathers to the environment of the area they live in.

For example, snowy owls have white feathers to camouflage their snowy environment, and great-horned owls have mottled gray-brown feathers.

Owls have four toes on each leg, and these toes have sharp claws known as talons which play an important role in protecting them from other predatory birds.

Besides, their sharp beak is also a defense tool. Since most owls are nocturnal, they hide in a safe place during the day. They give warning hoots to ward off predatory attacks.

During the breeding season, they become very aggressive to protect their babies. what owls are endangered

Why are owls important to humans?

Owls play a very important role in controlling the population of insects and rodents in our environment. An owl can eat about 11,000 mice in 10 years, which helps maintain the food chain in our environment.

Pests and rodents are not good for our environment if they are not controlled because they cause damage to our garden crops and spoil the home environment, which is why we have to use eco-friendly poisons like rat poisons and rodenticides to control pests and rodents.

If we build eco-friendly owl nesting boxes around our house or garden, we can control the population of insects and rodents that are harmful to our environment without using any poisons. Owl Box is environmentally friendly and less expensive than poison.

How many great horned owls are left in the world?

Great-horned owls are found almost everywhere in North and South America.

Although the owls of this species are not on the endangered list, environmental changes, increasing human pollution, the destruction of forests, habitat loss, etc. are affecting their population.

However, due to the hard work of environmentalists and the goodwill of the government, in different countries, all owl species are protected by various laws.

According to surveys conducted by various organizations, there are currently around 6 million great-horned owls worldwide.

It is a common American owl that can be seen almost everywhere. America has the highest number of this species of owl in the world.

However, barn owls are known to be the most common species in the world. Some of the most common owl species in the world are listed in order:

Barn owls
Great-horned owl
Snowy owl
Barred owl
Screech owl
Long-eared owl
Short-eared owl

Endangered owl species in 2023

Owls are found almost everywhere in the world, except Antarctica. There live about 254 species of owls in the world, some of which are currently considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Climate change, pollution, poaching, destruction of habitats, etc. are the key factors for all these species of owls to be counted as endangered. I have mentioned below some species of owls that are currently on the endangered list.

Anjouan Scops Owl (Otus capnodes)
Blakiston’s fish owl (Bubo blakistoni)
Congo Bay-owl (Phodilus prigogenei)
Forest owlet (Athene blewitti)
Moheli scops-owl (Otus murivorus)
Seychelles scops-owl (Otus insularis)
Pernambuco pygmy-owl (Glaucidium mooreorum)
Comoro Scops-owl (Otus pauliani)
Siau Scops-owl (Otus siaoensis)

The names of several species of owls mentioned below are now extinct worldwide.

Laughing Owl (Sceloglaux albifacies)
Mauritius Owl (Mascarenotus sauzieri)
Reunion Owl (Mascarenotus grucheti)
Rodrigues Owl (Mascarenotus murivorus)
Are spotted owls endangered?

The population of spotted owls has decreased in some places due to deforestation and human settlements.

Several subspecies of the spotted owl in particular, such as the Northern spotted owl, have declined in numbers.

The spotted owl is considered threatened by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

We need to come forward to increase the number of this spotted owl species.

We should volunteer to help organizations that are working to save owls from extinction.

We can facilitate owls by building owl nest boxes around our environment, which can protect them from natural disasters.

Rain can cause a wet owl to suffer from a variety of diseases, such as hypothermia and fungal infections, that occur when owls stay wet for long periods. All these diseases can lead to the death of owls.

Since owls cannot build their nests, if we make owl nest boxes for them, it is very good for the owls, and on the other hand, it is also good for us because owls play an important role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.

Are barn owls endangered?

Although the barn owl is not directly listed as endangered, this species of owl is threatened in several regions.

For example, the barn owl is only found in parts of the southern outposts in Canada, which is why this species of owl is currently listed as endangered in Canada.

Barn owls are also currently considered an endangered species in several areas of the United States and are one of 11 species of special concern in the United States.

One of the biggest reasons for the decline of this species of owl in many areas is their lack of food.

The owls are unknowingly consuming the pesticides or poisons that humans are using to control the small animals that feed on these species of owls.

Due to this poisoning, these species of owls are dying, and their numbers are decreasing in several areas.

Are screech owls endangered?

The screech owl is counted as one of the small owl species native to the Americas. They maintain the balance of the environment by eating small rodents, birds, reptiles, insects, etc.

A remarkable feature of these wonderful owls is that they live their entire lives with one mate. They are very much aware of their territory and attack it when other owls enter it. Since they have one mate, it helps them to protect their territory.

There exist approximately 13 million screech owls in the world today. There are also several subspecies of this species. Still, the western screech owl subspecies has been counted as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

Are burrowing owls endangered?

Burrowing owls are not considered endangered in all regions but are listed as endangered in several regions.

It is listed as endangered, threatened, or concerning in several US states, including Minnesota, Colorado, Florida, California, Utah, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, etc.

Burrowing owls are currently listed as endangered in Canada.

If you want to know the reason for the endangered status of this species of owl, you need to know about their habitat.

The preferred habitat of these species of owls is underground burrows, which is why they need grasslands and nests of various mammals.

However, agriculture and human acquisition of land for human habitation are creating the biggest obstacle to the survival of this species of owl.

Are tawny owls endangered?

A common owl species in the United Kingdom is the tawny owl. According to a 2005 census, the total number of tawny owls in the United Kingdom was approximately 100,000.

Lately, this owl species has been counted as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

However, this species of owl has not been included in the endangered list in the whole world.

Various studies have shown that tawny owls are being attacked by other predators due to the destruction of their habitat.

These species of owls are dying due to eating various insects and small animals affected by various pesticides or poisons that we use.

Only through our goodwill can we save this species of owl from extinction.

Are snowy owls endangered?

This migratory species of owl is currently declining in numbers, especially due to the effects of globalization.

The species is listed as vulnerable due to the low number of snowy owls worldwide.

Exact numbers of this species of owl are difficult to determine, but roughly fewer than 200,000 are currently left worldwide.

Apart from globalization, the decrease in the number of owls of this species is attributed to cold weather, loss of prey, communication towers, wind turbines, airplanes, etc.

Especially since owls of this species are migratory, they have to face various problems when they fly to other places in the winter.

The snowy owl is federally preserved. so it is illicit to disturb this species of owl or to possess feathers, pellets, or other body parts without permission.

Why do people put fake owls in their yard?

Many people keep fake owls in their yards, gardens, crop fields, and even inside their houses so that the animals that prey on the owls, like rodents, small birds, squirrels, etc., get scared and leave the place.

Fake owls are mainly used to reduce damage to people’s property by small animals. However, some awareness should be adopted when using this fake owl.

Fake owls should be placed where their prey is easily visible. The fake owl needs to be changed every few days so that the prey does not get used to it.

The show of fake owls to keep away small animals is an environmentally friendly strategy that greatly decreases the use of poisons to kill pesky small animals.

FAQs

Q. Are owls an endangered species?

Ans: Several species of owls in the world are listed as endangered, threatened, and concerning.

Q. How many owls are endangered?

Ans: Anjouan Scops Owl, Blakiston’s fish owl, Moheli scops-owl, Seychelles scops-owl, Congo Bay-owl, Forest owlet, Comoro Scops-owl, Pernambuco pygmy-owl, Siau Scops-owl, etc. owls are listed as endangered all over the world.

Q. Are snowy owls endangered, yes or no?

Ans: Yes, snowy owls are listed as endangered in several regions.

Q. Why are short-eared owls endangered?

Ans: The short-eared owl species is currently threatened due to habitat loss.

Q. Are masked owls endangered?

Ans: Masked owl is the species of owl, which is known as the Tasmanian masked owl. They are native to Australia. This species of owl is currently endangered in Australia.

Conclusion

Through the discussion mentioned above, we can say that most owl species are listed as endangered today because of us, and several species of owls are currently threatened.

Owls play an important role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem’s food chain.

Without owls, our environment would be overrun with pests and small animals that control those that harm us by destroying our crops or home environment.

We should take the help of wildlife experts to take appropriate measures to protect the various species of owls from becoming endangered so we can keep our environment natural and enjoy it.

Are great horned owls endangered?