EFFECTS OF HELICOPTER NOISE ON MEXICAN SPOTTED OWLS

Military helicopter training over the Lincoln National Forest (LNF) in southcentral New Mexico has been severely limited to protect nesting Mexican spotted owls (Strix occidentalis lucida). To evaluate nesting and nonnesting spotted owl responses to helicopter noise, we measured flush frequency, flush distance, alert behavior, response duration, prey delivery rates, female trips from the nest, and nest attentiveness during manipulated and nonmanipulated periods, 1995-96. Chain saws were included in our manipulations to increase experimental options and to facilitate comparative results. We analyzed stimulus events by measuring noise levels as unweighted one-third-octave band levels, applying frequency weighting to the resultant spectra, and calculating the sound exposure level for total sound energy (SEL) and the 0.5-sec equivalent maximum energy level (LEQ max 0.5-sec) for helicopters, and the 10-sec equivalent average energy level (LEQ avg. 10-se) for chain saws. An owl-weighting (dBO) curve was estimated to emphasize the middle frequency range where strigiform owls have the highest hearing sensitivity. Manipulated and nonmanipulated nest sites did not differ in repro- ductive success (P = 0.59) or the number of young fledged (P = 0.12). As stimulus distance decreased, spotted owl flush frequency increased, regardless of stimulus type or season. We recorded no spotted owl flushes when noise stimuli were >105 m away. Spotted owls returned to predisturbance behavior within 10-15 min after a stimulus event. All adult flushes during the nesting season occurred after juveniles had left the nest. Spotted owl flush rates in response to helicopters did not differ between nonnesting (13.3%) and nesting seasons (13.6%; P = 0.34). Spotted owls did not flush when the SEL noise level for helicopters was <102 dBO (92 dBA) and the LEQ level for chain saws was -59 dBO (46 dBA). Chain saws were more disturbing to spotted owls than helicopter flights at comparable distances. Our data indicate a 105-m buffer zone for helicopter overflights on the LNF would minimize spotted owl flush response and any potential effects on nesting activity.

[1]  Robert J. Steidl,et al.  Statistical power analysis in wildlife research , 1997 .

[2]  A. L. Brown,et al.  Measuring the effect of aircraft noise on sea birds , 1990 .

[3]  Teryl G. Grubb,et al.  Assessing Human Disturbance of Breeding Bald Eagles with Classification Tree Models , 1991 .

[4]  B. Hart.  The behavior of domestic animals , 1985 .

[5]  Stan G. Sovern,et al.  Diurnal Behavior of the Spotted Owl in Washington , 1994 .

[6]  G. Thiessen,et al.  Acoustic Irritation Threshold of Ringbilled Gulls , 1954 .

[7]  D. Mindell,et al.  Raptor responses to low-level jet aircraft and sonic booms. , 1991, Environmental pollution.

[8]  R. L. Knight,et al.  Why Does Intensity of Avian Nest Defense Increase During the Nesting Cycle , 1986 .

[9]  T. Bosakowski.  OBSERVATIONS ON THE EVENING DEPARTURE AND ACTIVITY OF WINTERING SHORT-EARED OWLS IN NEW JERSEY USA , 1989 .

[10]  Kenneth J. Berry,et al.  An extended class of permutation techniques for matched pairs , 1982 .

[11]  P. Beier,et al.  Activity patterns of nesting Mexican spotted owls , 1999 .

[12]  Richard D. Williams,et al.  EFFECTS OF BLASTING ON BEHAVIOR AND PRODUCTIVITY OF NESTING PRAIRIE FALCONS , 1990 .

[13]  David E. Andersen,et al.  Response of Nesting Red-Tailed Hawks to Helicopter Overflights , 1989 .

[14]  D. Gilmer,et al.  Ferruginous hawk populations and habitat use in North Dakota , 1983 .

[15]  K. M. Manci,et al.  Effects of Aircraft Noise and Sonic Booms on Domestic Animals and Wildlife: A Literature Synthesis , 1988 .

[16]  J. Archer.  Animals under stress , 1979 .

[17]  J. Fraser,et al.  The Impact of Human Activities on Breeding Bald Eagles in North-Central Minnesota , 1985 .

[18]  K. McGarigal,et al.  Interactions of humans and bald eagles on the Columbia River estuary. , 1991 .

[19]  Franklin A. Graybill,et al.  Theory and Application of the Linear Model , 1976 .