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Owl-ch! – How a Changing Climate Might Affect Mexican Spotted Owls

  • Article
  • Middle School
  • 1 Classroom Period
  • Climate
  • Wildlife
  • Adaptation
  • Air Temperature
  • Habitat
  • Metabolic Rate
  • Mexican Spotted Owl
  • Sacramento Mountains
  • Thermalneutral Zone
  • Water Loss
Cover for the 'Owl-ch' article.The main image is a photo of a pair of Mexican spotted owls sitting on a tree branch.
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Scientists investigated what might happen to Mexican spotted owls as the air temperature continues to rise in a changing climate. The scientist wanted to know how warmer air temperatures might affect an owl’s individual energy use and the amount of water evaporation an individual owl might experience in the changing conditions.

 

Owl-ch! – How a Changing Climate Might Affect Mexican Spotted Owls

Jump To

  • Meet the Scientists
  • Thinking About Science
  • Thinking About the Environment
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Findings
  • Discussion

Meet the Scientists

Joe Ganey

Wildlife Ecologist

In a long career in field ecology, I have had so many amazing moments that it is difficult to pick a single highlight. I vividly remember the first time I... Read Full Bio

James P. Ward

Wildlife Ecologist

My favorite science experience is difficult to choose—there are so many incredible moments I’ve enjoyed “in the field” studying wildlife and in particular, spotted owls. A clear and memorable high-point... Read Full Bio

Todd Rawlinson

Wildlife Biologist

While studying forest habitats, wildlife species, and wildland fires, we now understand that the greatest risk to most forest species is catastrophic, high-intensity wildfire. During my career, I have learned... Read Full Bio

Sean Kyle

Wildlife Biologist

I have been lucky to work with rodents, birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and all the way up to big game across 12 States. I earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology... Read Full Bio

Ryan Jonnes

Wildlife Biologist

The great outdoors has had a lasting impact on my life. The outdoors has shaped my hobbies, work, and family. I like to fish, hunt, camp, and hike. In 2005,... Read Full Bio

What Kinds of Scientists Did This Research?

Wildlife Biologist: This scientist studies the biology, behavior, and habitats of a variety of animal populations in the wild.

Wildlife Ecologist: This scientist studies the relationship of different kinds of wildlife with each other and with their living and nonliving environment.

Thinking About Science

Climate change offers new challenges for natural resource scientists. In particular, wildlife scientists are curious about how a changing climate may affect different wildlife species. As environmental conditions change, scientists discover new questions to answer. In this research, for example, scientists realized that the impact of a changing climate on a particular owl species is unknown.

 

This owl species is already threatened by other environmental conditions. These other environmental conditions include the loss of forest habitat from timber harvesting and wildfire. Climate change may impact the owl species in two ways. First, a changing climate may further change the forest where the owls live. Second, a changing climate may directly impact the physical well-being of individual owls.

 

Many of the questions natural resource scientists are asking today would not have been asked in the past. Changing conditions always present new scientific questions. Name one changing environmental condition of which you are aware and identify a research question that will address a possible impact of the changing condition.

Thinking About the Environment

A small bird with red-orange breast feathers looks at the camera as it stands in the snow. The birds’ feathers are fluffed out around it.
Figure 1. This bird is fluffing its feathers to stay warm . ©Chuck Murphy, http:// boywithcamera .com

All birds and mammals, including you, are endothermic (en də thər mik). Endothermic animals can, and must, maintain a somewhat constant body temperature regardless of the air temperature around them. In the summer, you perspire to cool off on hot days or when you are active in sports, for example. When the weather is cold, you may begin to shiver to stay warm. Humans also wear coats, hats, and gloves to stay warm.

 

Unfortunately, coats, hats, and gloves are not an option for birds when it gets cold. To stay warm, birds fluff their feathers (figure 1). Fluffing creates air spaces that provide a layer of warmth between the bird’s skin and the outside air. Birds may also crowd together on a limb to stay warm.

 

When the air temperature is high, some birds use a type of panting behavior to cool off. The bird opens its beak and flutters its neck muscles. This behavior also increases evaporation, causing greater water loss from the bird. Birds may also seek shaded environments to stay cool in hot weather.

 

In this research, the scientists were interested in learning if a species of owl might need to adapt its behavior to keep its body temperature stable in a changing climate.

Introduction

The Mexican spotted owl is one of the largest owls in North America (figure 2). Its wingspan is 45 inches, or just under 4 feet. The Mexican spotted owl is a subspecies of spotted owl that lives in the canyonlands and old-growth forests of Mexico and the southwestern United States. The owl lives in old-growth forests of white fir, Douglas- fir, and ponderosa pine. These trees have high, closed canopies that create cooler air temperatures due to deep shade. Mexican spotted owls nest in tree cavities, caves, and potholes in cliff ledges (figure 3).

 

Two Mexican spotted owls sit on a tree branch. They have whitish facial discs, black eyes, and brown and white feathers.

Figure 2. This pair of Mexican spotted owls sits on a tree branch. USDA Forest Service photo.

A red cliff ledge has pockets that have worn away. Two Mexican spotted owls sit in these pockets and ledges and look down towards the camera.
Figure 3. The Mexican spotted owl nests in a variety of places, including potholes in cliff ledges. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo by Amie Smith.

 

Many known Mexican spotted owl territories are on USDA Forest Service lands in Arizona and New Mexico (figure 4). These owls sometimes migrate and may move between 12 and 30 miles or to lower elevations.

 

A map of the southwestern portion of the United States and Mexico. The range of the Mexican spotted owl is marked in orange; the range covers portions of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico.
Figure 4. The Mexican spotted owls’ range includes Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico as well as Mexico. FIND Outdoors map by Leslie Shaw Design.

 

A female owl lays between one and four eggs during early spring. She stays on the nest to care for the owlets while the male brings in food. The owls hunt at night. They eat small mammals, such as wood rats, mice, voles, rabbits, pocket gophers, and bats. They also eat birds, reptiles, and insects. About 60 percent of these owls’ water intake comes from eating their prey. Owlets stay in the nest for about 5 weeks. At 8 weeks, they can hold and eat prey on their own. The parents continue to feed the owlets until they become fully independent hunters at 4 to 5 months (figure 5). The survival rate of young Mexican spotted owls is low, and the owls’ lifespan is about 17 years. The Mexican spotted owl population contains a little more than 2,000 individuals now living within their United States range.

 

A juvenile and an adult Mexican spotted owl sit on a branch in a tree and look down towards the camera.
Figure 5. In this photo, an adult Mexican spotted owl sits on the right, and an owlet sits on the left. The owlet still has downy feathers. Photo by Todd Rawlinson.

Most of the threats to Mexican spotted owls are actually threats to their habitat. A habitat is where a plant or animal finds enough food, water, shelter, and space to survive. Threats to Mexican spotted owl habitats include logging, wildfires, urban development (buildings and roads), and livestock grazing. Livestock grazing destroys the grass cover needed by the owl’s prey. This owl species was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This species was listed as threatened because its habitat had been broken into smaller parts by wildfires and timber harvesting.

 

The Mexican spotted owl is facing another possible threat. Climate change may further threaten this owl indirectly. A changing climate may cause the owl’s habitat to become warmer and drier, increasing the number of wildfires. In the longer term, a warmer and drier climate will likely change the type of tree species and where the trees are growing within the owl’s habitat. Currently, the owls use the dense shade of old- growth trees to help keep them cool. These indirect threats may cause further challenges for the Mexican spotted owl.

What Is Meant by “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act of 1973?

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 defines a threatened species as “any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” An endangered species is “any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” Threatened and endangered species are protected under the law.

A changing climate may also directly impact Mexican spotted owls. Recall that under a changing climate, the owls’ habitat will likely become warmer and drier. Mexican spotted owls may have a low tolerance for heat. These owls seek shaded, cooler environments to roost (rest) and nest. These environments are either in canyonland bottoms under the shade of cliffs or in the dense shade of old-growth forests (figure 6).

A stand of very old conifers with tall, straight trunks. Smaller trees grow around them.
Figure 6. Old-growth forests contain trees that are hundreds or sometimes thousands of years old. Adobe Stock photo.

Mexican spotted owls are endothermic, just like you. When the air temperature is too hot or too cold, these owls take action to maintain a steady and safe body temperature. You already know that these owls seek cooler, shaded environments for roosting and nesting. But what might happen as the air temperature continues to rise in a changing climate? The scientists in this study were interested in exploring this question. The scientists wanted to know how warmer air temperatures might affect an owl’s individual energy use and the amount of water evaporation an individual owl might experience.

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Methods

The scientists studied Mexican spotted owl habitat in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico (figure 7). The Sacramento Mountains are comprised of a large montane ecosystem. These mountains are like a forested island surrounded by a desert “sea” (figure 8). Montane ecosystems are found on mountain slopes. They are moist, cool environments and have large, often coniferous, trees. The montane ecosystem studied by the scientists contained a mix of conifers, including white fir and Douglas-fir.

 

A close-up map of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico; the Lincoln National Forest is marked in green and the Sacramento Mountains run through the forest. A smaller map of the United States is off to the left and shows the area the larger map focuses on.

Figure 7. The Sacramento Mountains are located in the Lincoln National Forest in south- central New Mexico. FIND Outdoors map by Leslie Shaw Design.

A photo of the Sacramento Mountains taken from the mountainside. Trees and small, scrubby plants grow in the foreground, the mountains are in the middle ground and in the far distance, and between the two is a flat, desert landscape.

Figure 8. The Sacramento Mountains are a montane forest ecosystem surrounded by desert. Photo by Ryan Jonnes.

The scientists established 14 mobile weather stations within the forest (figure 9). These weather stations recorded weather data every hour, 24 hours a day, for 5 years (including only part of 2 years, equaling about 4 total years). The weather data used by the scientists included the outdoor air temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) and relative humidity, or how much moisture is in the air. Relative humidity is measured from 0 percent (no moisture) to 100 percent. A rainy day may have between 90 and 99 percent relative humidity.

 

A mobile weather station with various instruments and a solar panel stands in a clearing of green plants.
Figure 9. Fourteen mobile weather stations similar to this one were placed throughout the study area. Adobe Stock photo.

Number Crunch

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The weather stations were located in eight Mexican spotted owl territories, and the average percentage of canopy cover over the weather stations was 90.4 percent (figure 10). The scientists used precipitation data for the study area that were collected by the National Weather Service. These data included rainfall and snowfall.

A densiometer: a white cylindrical piece of equipment with a small glass half-dome on top. It sits on a piece of plexiglass held up by a white frame.

Figure 10. (A) The scientists used a piece of equipment called a densiometer to measure the amount of canopy cover in the forest.

A photo of the tree canopy taken as if the photographer were lying on the ground. Very little sky is visible through the canopy.

Figure 10. (B) Canopy cover is the amount of tree cover in a particular area. Adobe Stock photo.

The scientists used existing information about how much energy similar species of spotted owls use when they are at rest. They began with a measurement called resting metabolic rate. Resting metabolic rate is the amount of energy required by an animal’s body (including yours!) to perform the most basic functions when at rest, such as breathing, circulating blood, or basic brain functions. Resting metabolic rate may be different at different air temperatures.

 

The scientists used equations to estimate the resting metabolic rate of these owls at each recorded air temperature value. These equations were different depending on whether the air temperature was within, above, or below a special range of air temperatures. This special range is called the thermoneutral (thür mō nū trəl) zone, or TNZ.

What Is the Thermoneutral Zone?

All endothermic animals, including you, have a range of air temperatures within which they prefer to stay. This range of air temperatures is called the thermoneutral zone, or TNZ. Within this range, a healthy adult animal can maintain its normal body temperature while at rest. If the air temperature is above the TNZ range of temperatures, an animal must spend energy to lower its body temperature. In the case of humans, for example, a person perspires. A dog pants. An owl flutters its neck muscles. In all cases, the animal will lose water as they cool off. If the air temperature is below the TNZ range of temperatures, an animal must spend energy to raise its body temperature.

A rectangle illustrating the temperatures a body can be exposed to. The rectangle shades from blue on the left to orange on the right. On the left, at the coldest air temperatures, is death from cold stress, then the cold zone (hypothermia and cold stress), then the thermoneutral zone – ranging from cool zone to comfort zone to warm zone. Next is the hot zone (hyperthermia and heat stress) and finally death from heat stress.

The scientists now had a resting metabolic rate for each of the approximately 500,000 hours of data collection. Each resting metabolic rate was connected to an air temperature value. The scientists used another equation to estimate how much energy an owl would need to use to maintain its healthy body temperature at every temperature value.

 

The scientists then used another equation to estimate how much water an owl would lose from evaporation at each of the approximately 500,000 air temperature values. This estimate is called evaporative water loss, or EWL. Recall that more water is lost at higher air temperatures.

 

The scientists now had estimates for:

(1) How many observations were within, above, and below the owl’s TNZ.

(2) How much energy an owl would use at rest at every observed temperature above, within, and below the TNZ.

(3) How much water an owl would lose to evaporation in air temperatures above, within, and below the TNZ.

 

They then predicted the owl’s energy use and water loss in 2070 and 2099.

 

Reflection Section

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Findings

Recall that the 14 weather stations recorded the air temperature every hour. The median temperature was higher than the 30-year average (or normal) air temperature across all years (figure 11). Despite the warmer temperatures, the air temperature never went higher than the upper range of the owl’s TNZ (35.2 °C). In contrast, over 90 percent of the temperatures were below the owl’s lower limit of the TNZ (18.2 °C). The lowest air temperature values were recorded in the winter, and the highest air temperature values were recorded in June and July. Median maximum daily air temperatures were less than 18.2 °C for all months except June and August. The median minimum daily air temperatures were less than 18.2 °C for all months.

 

The National Weather Service reported precipitation that was equally higher and lower than the normal precipitation values. Most precipitation occurred from May through October. Relative humidity under the forest trees was highest from July through October and lowest during the nesting season, which is April through June.

 

A box plot graph of average and mean air temperatures per year in degrees Celsius. Most of the boxes are above the line marking the average air temperature over 30 years.
Figure 11. Average and median air temperature per year in degrees Celsius (°C). The long horizontal line represents the average air temperature over 30 years. Within each box, the horizontal line represents the median air temperature for the year . The box represents the 25th to the 75th percentile (the interquartile range). The small lines above and below the boxes represent the lowest and highest recorded air temperatures. FIND Outdoors illustration by Liz Sisk.

Number Crunch

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The scientists estimated the owls’ resting metabolic rate and evaporative water loss (figure 12). The owls’ resting metabolic rate was highest in winter. The resting metabolic rate declined in the spring, was lowest in summer, and then increased in the fall. Evaporative water loss (EWL) followed a pattern somewhat opposite from resting metabolic rate. EWL was lowest during the winter months and highest during the warmer and wetter summer months.

 

A box plot graph of resting metabolic rate of the owls over the months of the year. The resting metabolic rate dips lowest in the center of the graph, from May to July.

Figure 12. (A) This graph shows the yearly trend in resting metabolic rate for Mexican spotted owls. FIND Outdoors illustration by Liz Sisk.

A box plot graph of the average daily evaporative water loss for the owls over the months of the year. Their evaporative water loss peaks in the center of the graph, from May to July.

Figure 12. (B) This graph shows the yearly trend in evaporative water loss (EWL) for Mexican spotted owls. FIND Outdoors illustrations by Liz Sisk.

Recall that the scientists added 3 °C and 6 °C to each of the recorded temperatures to evaluate the impact of climate change on the Mexican spotted owl. The impact of increasing temperatures reduced the proportion of air temperature values that were below the TNZ and increased the proportion of air temperature values that were within the TNZ. Even when 6 °C was added to each recorded air temperature value, the air temperature rarely went above 35.2 °C. In these climate change scenarios, the overall effect was to reduce the amount of energy required by an owl to keep its body temperature within the TNZ, as compared with current energy use.

 

Increases of 3 °C and 6 °C resulted in greater EWL, however. Adding 3 °C resulted in an increase in estimated water loss of 14 percent and adding 6 °C resulted in an increase in estimated water loss of 29 percent.

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Discussion

The scientists discovered that owls living below the cool forest canopy rarely experienced air temperatures that were too high. Rather, most of the air temperatures were low enough to cause the owls to use energy staying warm. The owls needed and used more water during the summer months. However, this time coincided with the greatest availability of water and high relative humidity. Thus, it appears that Mexican spotted owls are currently well adapted to their habitat.

 

As the climate changes, however, the situation for Mexican spotted owls may change. Evaporative water loss (EWL) is expected to increase as air temperature increases. Rising temperatures may also change the habitat of small mammals. If this occurs, the owls’ food may be harder to find. About 60 percent of an owl’s water comes from its food. The owls may need to depend more on surface water, such as streams, rivers, and ponds. Unfortunately, obtaining water from streams, rivers, and ponds is not an option for baby owls still in the nest, where they spend the first 5 weeks of their lives. Lowered amounts of precipitation in the future, therefore, may result in an overall decrease in the population of Mexican spotted owls.

 

Currently, forest managers are working to keep and develop patches of old-growth forests that have thick canopies. This strategy of protecting patches of older and cooler forests may provide protective habitat for Mexican spotted owls. Such protection may provide a refuge for these owls as the climate continues to warm.

 

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Adapted from Ganey, J.L.; Ward, J.P.; Rawlinson, T.A.; Kyle, S.C.; Jonnes, R.S. 2020. Annual climate in Mexican Spotted Owl habitat in the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico: Implications for responding to climate change. Journal of Field Ornithology. 91(3): 225–240.

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  • As you have learned in “Owl-ch!,” humans are endotherms who, like other mammals and birds, must maintain a constant internal temperature in changing air temperatures. In this FACTivity, you will...

    FACTivity – Owl-ch!

    • Activity
    • Middle School
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    • Climate
    • Wildlife
    • Air Temperature
    • Endothermic
    • Internal Temperature
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    As you have learned in “Owl-ch!,” humans are endotherms who, like other mammals and birds, must maintain a constant internal temperature in changing air temperatures. In this FACTivity, you will...
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    Owl-ch! - How a Changing Climate Might Affect Mexican Spotted Owls
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Glossary

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  • canopy cover

    (ka nə pē kə vər): The layer of tree leaves, branches, and stems that provide tree coverage of the ground when viewed from above.

  • cavity

    (ka vǝ tē): An unfilled space within a mass, especially a hollowed-out space.

  • coincide

    (kō ən sīd): To occupy the same place in space or time.

  • coniferous

    (kō ni f(ǝ) rǝs): Characterized by leaves resembling needles or scales in shape and including forms (like pines) with true cones.

  • downy

    (dau̇ nē): Covered with down, a covering of soft fluffy feathers.

  • elevation

    (e lǝ vā shǝn): The height above sea level.

  • lush

    (ləsh): Having full and healthy growth.

  • median

    (mē dē ən): A value in a series arranged from smallest to largest below and above which there are an equal number of values or which is the average of the two middle values if there is no one middle value.

  • prey

    (prā): An animal taken by a predator as food.

  • refuge

    (re fyüj): A place that provides shelter or protection.

  • riparian

    (rə per ē ən): Relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (such as a river or sometimes a lake or tidewater).

  • scenario

    (sə ner ē ō): A sequence of events especially when imagined.

  • subspecies

    (səb spē shēz): A category in biological classification that ranks immediately below a species; designates a population of a particular geographic region that is genetically distinguishable from other such populations of the same species. A subspecies is capable of interbreeding successfully with other populations of the same species where its range overlaps theirs.

  • Dr. Ganey wears a backpack, sunglasses, and a baseball cap and stands in a forest.

    Joe Ganey

    Wildlife Ecologist

    In a long career in field ecology, I have had so many amazing moments that it is difficult to pick a single highlight. I vividly remember the first time I...
    View Profile
  • Dr. Ward sits outside on a boulder with his dog.

    James P. Ward

    Wildlife Ecologist

    My favorite science experience is difficult to choose—there are so many incredible moments I’ve enjoyed “in the field” studying wildlife and in particular, spotted owls. A clear and memorable high-point...
    View Profile
  • Todd Rawlinson sits outside and writes notes in a notebook. Mountains are in the background.

    Todd Rawlinson

    Wildlife Biologist

    While studying forest habitats, wildlife species, and wildland fires, we now understand that the greatest risk to most forest species is catastrophic, high-intensity wildfire. During my career, I have learned...
    View Profile
  • Sean Kyle stands in front of a rock formation.

    Sean Kyle

    Wildlife Biologist

    I have been lucky to work with rodents, birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and all the way up to big game across 12 States. I earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology...
    View Profile
  • Ryan Jonnes stands outside; behind him is bare red dirt and grassland.

    Ryan Jonnes

    Wildlife Biologist

    The great outdoors has had a lasting impact on my life. The outdoors has shaped my hobbies, work, and family. I like to fish, hunt, camp, and hike. In 2005,...
    View Profile

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  • Thinking About Science

    Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.

  • Thinking About the Environment

    Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.

  • Introduction

    Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.

  • Method

    Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.

  • Findings & Discussion

    Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.

  • Reflection Section

    Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.

  • Number Crunches

    Presents an easy math problem related to the research.

  • Glossary

    Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.

  • Citation

    Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.

  • FACTivity

    Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.

Science Education Standards

You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.

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Additional Resources

  • National Park Service: Mexican Spotted Owl

    Visit the NPS’s information page on Mexican spotted owls.

    Visit Website

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    Visit the USFWS information page about Mexican spotted owls.

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    Visit Website

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    Learn more about spotted owls at Cornell Lab’s All About Birds. The site includes photographs and video and audio recordings.

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  • USDA Forest Service: Reforestation project to restore Mexican spotted owl habitat, support tribal landscape initiative

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