BirdAnalyst
Species · BCR 11 · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Short-eared Owl In Prairie Potholes

All regionsPrairie PotholesGeneralists

Short-eared Owl in Prairie Potholes has collapsed: down 83% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

-83%Since 1969
60Routes In Region
53Years

Notable Signals

long arc declinecomputed index

Short-eared Owl has collapsed in Prairie Potholes: down 83% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Short-eared Owl in Prairie Potholes is projected to fall about 34% by 2029 — from 0.10 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.07 (95% range 0.00–0.36). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±93.9%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-34%Change by 2029
0.07Projected 2029 index
0.00–0.3695% range
±93.9%Backtest error
19672029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected index95% low95% high
20250.070.000.36
20260.070.000.36
20270.070.000.36
20280.070.000.36
20290.070.000.36

Routes In Prairie Potholes

Routes recording Short-eared Owl in Prairie Potholes.
GryglaMINNESOTA42011
HarlemMONTANA42017
Lake GeorgeNORTH-DAKOTA41979
BraddockNORTH-DAKOTA42001
White LakeSOUTH-DAKOTA41978
Crow CreekSOUTH-DAKOTA41973
ForbesSOUTH-DAKOTA41979
GlyndonMINNESOTA32000
MaltaMONTANA32018
StanleyNORTH-DAKOTA31978
GormanSOUTH-DAKOTA31979
ErieMINNESOTA22011
BadgerMINNESOTA22001
Lake BronsonMINNESOTA22000
Hay LakeMONTANA22017
VirgelleMONTANA22024
Ester LakeMONTANA22024
Horsehead LkNORTH-DAKOTA22010
Sheyenne LkNORTH-DAKOTA22010
RoswellSOUTH-DAKOTA22008
BrittonSOUTH-DAKOTA21978
HuntleyMINNESOTA11971
ChandlerMINNESOTA11970
OkleeMINNESOTA12012
BeltramiMINNESOTA11981

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22.