Forty Years of Owl Surveys

Many of you are probably members of Wisconsin Society of Ornithology too and hopefully you were treated to a print copy of the 'Forty Years of Nocturnal Forest Owl Surveys in Wisconsin, USA 1986–2025' article written by BRPA members Ann and Scott Swengel. A digital exerpt of that article is provided below. 

Fewer of you might have attended my introductory Cabin Fever Lecture last year where I also shared my experience with one of the primary species featured in this article, the Northern Saw-whet Owl. There we are, above. 

I connected with the Swengels to share my excitement for their article. I was impressed with their long-term study of forest owls in the Baraboo Range. They shared another one of their articles from a 1987 symposium for Northern Forest Owls. That additional paper is below. I like the maps!

I wish I had more time to spend on this article but, I want to get right to the point this time. Here it is:

The Takeaway is that 40 years of Surveys show that: "Forest Owls are benefitting from conservation efforts in the Baraboo Hills."

This is not without past, present and future efforts to monitor existing and acquire new protected lands. We must continue to celebrate conservation successes — like stabilizing population trends of forest owls — and defend them from those who will never even take the time to try to understand something good. 

Because some folks have dedicated more than 40 years to studying a particular subject, it doesn't take the rest of us that long to gain an appreciation for it.