Home	About the RRC	RRC Expertise	Staff	Raptor Biology M.S. Program
	Projects	Events	Resources	Abstracts	Dept. of Biology

Justin Welty

Cost and Benefits of Group Living in Burrowing Owls

 Summary:  My research focuses on the costs and benefits of group living in western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea).  These owls live in underground burrows and can live within close proximity to other owls (semi-colonial).  However, many owls also live without other burrowing owls in a kilometer or more from their nest.  I am looking at whether the distance between nests influences the behavior and success of the owls.  I am looking at predation, ectoparasite levels, yolk androgens, and nest productivity.  Predation is determined through the monitoring of actual nests and experimentally through the placement of dummy nests in grouped and solitary configurations.  Behavior towards predators is determined by dragging a fake badger past the nest and recording the results.  Ectoparasite levels are counted on the adults and nestlings.  In addition, some nestlings had their ectoparasite levels experimentally lowered to see if that would improve nestling body condition.  Yolk samples were extracted from 2 eggs per nest to determine if yolk androgens were influenced by laying order and distance to nearest neighbor.  Finally, nests were monitored to determine what the nestling productivity was and whether the distance to neighbors influenced this productivity.

Questions and comments regarding the Raptor Research Center: mark_fuller@usgs.gov
Questions and comments regarding this website: kbledsoe@boisestate.edu

  This page was last reviewed on 02 April 2008.