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Nature Conservancy Scientists Hope New Harry Potter Film Will Increase Attention to Saving Threatened Owl Habitat

Date: 11/15/02

Boulder, CO -- You don't have to be a wizard to catch sight of a real life Snowy Owl just like Harry Potter's amber-eyed pet Hedwig, or any of the other owl species used to deliver mail for Potter's friends at the Hogwarts School of Wizardry.

The much anticipated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie, the latest in the Harry Potter series due in the theaters Nov. 15, features a wide variety of owls helping out their wizard owners. But while non-wizards can see many of these owls in forests and prairies across the United States, growing threats to owl habitat, such as overdevelopment and the disappearance of old growth trees, are making it harder and harder to spot these spectacular creatures in the wild.

There are 19 species of owls that inhabit North America, ranging from the tiny Elf Owl, which stands less than six inches tall, to the Great Gray Owl, nearly 30 inches tall with a wing span of more than 50 inches. Both of these species are featured as the pets of Potter and his friends.

Scientists working to protect owls hope the Harry Potter craze will spark a renewed interest in conserving owl habitat across the country. Owl populations are on the decline, scientists say, due largely to destruction of their habitat.

"Human population growth and development is destroying much of the owls' natural habitat," said Charles Duncan, a conservation ornithologist with the Nature Conservancy. "Clear cutting has also reduced the number of trees that would have otherwise grown old enough to develop cavities that owls can nest in."

One owl threatened by the loss of habitat is the Burrowing Owl of the American Great Plains which includes the eastern part of Colorado. The Burrowing Owl is listed among the Conservancy's "Unlucky 13," birds whose populations have dangerously declined in recent years. Burrowing Owls, which nest in animal burrows and other crevices in the ground, are integrally linked to the livelihood of small mammals such as prairie dogs and squirrels. Restoration of the owl hinges on sustaining burrowing mammal populations to provide adequate habitat. The Nature Conservancy is working in Colorado to protect habitat for burrowing owls on the eastern plains and in the San Luis Valley.

Together with government agencies such as the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy is protecting landscapes that are most critical to declining bird populations.

Because owls are migratory, the Conservancy also is working with scientists to monitor the flight paths of owls to better determine what lands should be protected to save the birds. In western Maryland, scientists set up nighttime nets during the fall months to catch Saw-whet owls so they can be tagged and their migratory paths tracked. Owls tagged in Maryland have been found in Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine.

While the Harry Potter phenomenon is helping to educate people about threats to owl habitat, there is concern that the craze could lead fans to buy owls as pets. It is illegal in the United States to own owls, but it is legal in some other countries.

Scientists warn that owls are not always as friendly to humans as they appear in the movies.

"They are predators, birds of prey," Duncan said. "We need to remind people that this movie is a fantasy. However beautiful and powerful owls are, they are not suitable as pets."

The eating habits of owls also make them difficult to care for. Skilled hunters, owls feed on small mammals such as rabbits, mice, fish and marine mammals. After eating their prey whole, owls regurgitate pieces of bone and fur - making feeding and cleaning up after an owl not the most pleasant experience.

Rather than trying to own an owl, it is best to see them in the wild.

Owl lovers can visit Nature Conservancy preserves across the country to catch sight of these amazing creatures. Many Nature Conservancy preserves conduct owl-sighting tours and educational programs year round.

One of the best places to spot owls is in Arizona, on The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve. Seven different owl species make the preserve their home. Here in Colorado, The Nature Conservancy's Aiken Canyon Preserve near Colorado Springs is home to four species; the Great Horned Owl; Northern Pygmy Owl; Western Screech Owl and; the rare Mexican Spotted owl.

The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 12 million acres in the United States, including 426,000 acres of Colorado's important landscapes, and have helped through partnerships to preserve more than 80 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, Asia and the Pacific.  To learn more about The Nature Conservancy of Colorado, call (303) 444-2950 or visit us on the web at nature.org/colorado.