Increasing concern about the distribution, population status and habitat loss for nocturnal raptors have prompted partners of the Wisconsin and Minnesota Bird Conservation Initiative to begin monitoring owl populations.  Birds of prey occupy the top of the food chain and may be susceptible to environmental toxins and contaminants, making them important to monitor as indicators of environmental health.

Due to their nocturnal behavior and time of breeding, owls often go undetected using traditional methods to monitor bird populations such as Breeding Bird Survey routes.  In 2005, a large scale, long-term survey to monitor owl populations was implemented in the Western Great Lakes region (Wisconsin and Minnesota).  Volunteers have been solicited to run one or two standard routes after dark and count the number and species of owls they hear.

Pam Dryer of the Ashland NFWCO and citizen volunteer Ellie Williams conducted a survey in early April as part of this effort.  The ten mile route followed along less traveled roads in and near Hayward, Wis.  Volunteer efforts to monitor easily recognizable species are often cornerstones of bird monitoring in our nation.  Dryer and Williams hope to continue their route each year.