Western screech-owl (Otus kennicottii) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 10

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Existing Protection and other Status Designations

As a non-migratory species the Western Screech-owl is not included in the Migratory Birds Convention Act. At the provincial level, along with most other birds, the Western Screech-owl is protected under the British Columbia Wildlife Act. This means that it is an offence to take, harm or destroy the birds, and their nests and eggs. People working in the woods for the logging industry have special exemption. The Western Screech-owl is naturally somewhat protected from direct persecution, due to its small size and its nocturnal nature.

The Western Screech-owl is not listed nor proposed under the US Endangered Species Act, nor is it listed in the IUCN Red Book, although all owls (Strigiformes) are listed as a group under Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Appendix II species are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so without careful control of trade.

The ranks below have been assigned to the species or subspecies using the Biological and Conservation Data System developed by The Nature Conservancy (BCCDC 2001, Nature Serve 2001), where:

1. Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer extant occurrences or very few remaining individuals) or because of some factor(s) making it especially vulnerable to extirpation or extinction
2. Imperiled because of rarity (typically 6-20 extant occurrences or few remaining individuals) or because of some factor(s) making it vulnerable to extirpation or extinction
3. Rare or uncommon (typically 21-100 occurrences); may be susceptible to large-scale disturbances; e.g. may have lost extensive peripheral populations
4. Frequent to common (greater than 100 occurrences); apparently secure but may have a restricted distribution; or there may be perceived future threats
5. Common to very common; demonstrably secure and essentially ineradicable under present conditions

• International: G5
• National (Canada): N4
• National (US): N5
• Provincial and State (from north to south):
  • Alaska - S3?B
  • British Columbia - S4
  • Saskatchewan - S1B, S1N
  • Washington - S5
  • Idaho - S4
  • Montana - S3S4
  • Oregon - S4?
  • Wyoming - S2
  • California - S?
  • Nevada - S4
  • Utah - S3S4
  • Colorado - S4B
  • Kansas - S1
  • Arizona - S5
  • New Mexico - S4B S4N
  • Texas - S4

Note that the states and provinces with a species rank of S2 and S1 are all jurisdictions where the species is peripheral.

Otus kennicottii macfarlanei: T4 for the whole subspecies; within British Columbia S1 (therefore Red-listed).

Otus kennicottii kennicottii: no listing (T?) for the whole subspecies; BC S4

The species is not listed under the British Columbia Wildlife Act as endangered or threatened, although Red Listed species or subspecies are taxa that could be considered for more formal listing under this act. If the species were specifically listed as endangered or threatened under the act, it would not receive further protection (though both fines and awareness are increased). It is not listed as a species at risk (endangered, threatened, vulnerable or similar terms) in any of the northern US states (Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Wyoming).

For a brief discussion of how much of this species range is protected within parks see the Habitat, Protection/ownership section.