Spotted Owl
Spotted Owl has fallen sharply: down 64% on the route-weighted index since 1975.
About the Spotted Owl
The Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) is a North American member of the Owls (Strigidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.
- Size
- 5–27.5 in long (13–70 cm) — a nocturnal raptor (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
- Diet
- Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
- Range
- Recorded on 27 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 4 states, most concentrated in the Sierra Nevada.
- Family
- Strigidae · Birds of prey
Notable Spotted Owl Trends
No notable trend signals for Spotted Owl. See the full index history below.
Spotted Owl Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Spotted Owl is projected to stay roughly flat through 2028, near 0.00 (95% range 0.00–0.00). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±32.1%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2025 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2026 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2027 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2028 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Where the Spotted Owl Is Detected
BBS routes recording Spotted Owl, sized by most recent count.
Spotted Owl Population Trend by State
| Arizona | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| California | -62% | 1975 | 17 |
| Oregon | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Washington | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
Spotted Owl Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Sierra Nevada | -82% | 1975 | 6 |
Spotted Owl Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 64% since 1975.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.