Comparison of Detection Probability Associated with Burrowing Owl Survey Methods

Populations of western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) appear to have declined in many portions of their range. A standardized survey and monitoring program is not available to quantify changes in abundance or distribution. Before a standardized survey method is selected for long-term, continent-wide burrowing owl monitoring, potential survey protocols should be rigorously tested. We evaluated 3 potential burrowing owl survey methods: line transect, roadside point-count, and driving surveys. We also examined the effectiveness of using call-broadcasts on point-count surveys to increase detection probability. We conducted 3 replicate borrowing owl surveys (either point-count or driving surveys) along 1,350 km of roads (114 survey routes) in eastern Wyoming, USA, between June and August 2000. Detection probability varied among observers for both point-count and driving surveys. Detection probability was higher on point-count, surveys (x = 64.3%) compared to driving surveys (x = 37.5%), and point-count surveys sampled a larger effective area away from the road. Walking line-transect surveys proved ineffective and inefficient for monitoring burrowing owls at large (statewide) scales. Nest-site detection probability was 47% during driving detection trials and 79% during point-count detection trials. We detected over twice as manly owls per unit distance on our point-count routes (0.038 owls/km) compared to our driving routes (0.016 owls/km), but detected more owls per unit time on our driving routes (0.339 owls/hr vs. 0.229 owls/hr on point-count routes). We detected 22% more owls using call-broadcast even though all of our detections on pointcount surveys were visual rather that aural. Estimates of breeding density were fairly similar based on our driving and point-count surveys (0.110 and 0.074 nest sites/km 2 , respectively). Standardized point-counts using call-broadcast along roadsides offer the best approach for monitoring population trends of burrowing owls at large (statewide) spatial scales. Based on our results, we developed a standardized survey protocol for monitoring burrowing owls at large spatial scales. Implementation of these monitoring protocols would provide more precise estimates of population trends of burrowing owls in North America.