beneficial management practices for saskatchewan species at risk: burrowing owl endangered
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Beneficial Management Practices for Saskatchewan Species at Risk: Burrowing Owl Endangered. Mottled pattern of dark and light brown with white spots Underparts pale brown to white Long, thin, bare legs Large yellow eyes “Coo-cooo” call. Brian K Jeffrey. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Beneficial Management Practices for Saskatchewan
Species at Risk:
Burrowing Owl Endangered
• Mottled pattern of dark and light brown with white spots
• Underparts pale brown to white
• Long, thin, bare legs
• Large yellow eyes
• “Coo-cooo” callBrian K Jeffrey
• Prefer open grasslands with a mosaic of short & long vegetation void of trees & dense shrubs
• Require an abundance of burrows and wetland(s) or water
• Eat grasshoppers, insects, mice, voles, young gophers, toads, snakes, salamanders and small birds
• Located in the southern Saskatchewan
• Status: Endangered
• Declined due habitat loss and fragmentation, decreased food availability, fewer burrow providers, collision with vehicles, pesticides and mortality during migration
• ~250-300 of pairs in Saskatchewan
Beneficial Management Practices
Grazing
• Reduce heavy livestock use at nest sites during May through June
• Graze heavily (10 cm in height) to provide nesting sites or within 100m of known site
• Graze lightly (30-100 cm in height) in adjacent areas but no more than 1 m
Grazing (cont’d)
• Avoid placing salt blocks near nest sites
• Avoid water development (i.e. dugouts and dams) that disrupt the flow of water to low-lying wetlands or reduce the functionality of the wetland
Habitat Size and Woody Vegetation
• Maintain grassland pastures ~ 160 acres in size (65 ha)
• Do not plant trees or shrubs on native or tame grasslands
• Reduce or remove woody vegetation in native or tame grasslands
Forage Harvesting
• Delay harvesting of tame hay until after July 1st
• Leave narrow strips of unmowed vegetation
• Harvest only part of the hayfield
Cultivation/Tillage
• Plow fields early (mid-April) to remove potential nest burrows in crop field
• Use direct seeding or zero-till wherever possible to avoid tillage during nesting
• Retain fragments or blocks of native prairie wherever possible
Converting Cropland to Perennial Cover
• Convert cultivated land to perennial cover of recommended herbaceous species
• Seed short or mid-height and less invasive grasses in forage mixes such as blue gramma grass or needle & thread
Management of Burrowing Mammals
• Maintain healthy populations of badgers or other burrowing mammals
• Maintain healthy populations of ground squirrels (or gophers)
• Avoid use of rodenticide where owls are nesting or foraging areas
Management of Burrowing Mammals (cont’d)
• Control ground squirrel populations between October and March
• Apply control agents directly in ground squirrel burrows or directly to ground squirrels (i.e. shooting)
Insecticides
• Avoid spraying insecticides that reduce Burrowing Owl prey populations on tame or native pasture
• If insect control is necessary, choose insecticides with the lowest toxicity
• Avoid spraying insecticides within 400-600m of burrows containing owls during breeding season
Roads
• Restrict traffic on roads through agricultural land from dusk to dawn
• Restrict traffic speeds on roads through agricultural land
• Avoid grading roads from May through June if possible