Evaluating captive-release strategies for the Western Burrowing Owl ( Athene cunicularia hypugaea )

. Quantitatively evaluating and monitoring augmentation efforts are critical for conservation success. We formally evaluated the success of two Western Burrowing Owl ( Athene cunicularia hypugaea ) population augmentation programs in Manitoba and British Columbia by assessing survival of breeding adults, fledging success, and return rates of fledglings. Manitoba’s head-starting program holds hatching year (HY) owls taken from the nests of previous captive-released pairs over winter. After being overwintered in human care, the HY owls are released in pairs as second year (SY) owls. British Columbia has a breeding and release program where owls are bred in facilities; their offspring are then held over winter, paired and soft-released in the spring. Both programs soft-release SY pairs that lay clutches in situ and young are referred to as “wild-hatched owls.” We investigated both individual owl and release site characteristics in relation to our success metrics. In Manitoba, breeding season survival averaged 81%, but no factors investigated had a significant effect on

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