PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 14, 2025
A decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to kill tens of thousands of protected forest owls will be the largest-ever raptor killing program. Barred owls, not native to the area, have expanded their range, competing for habitat with their native cousins the Northern and California spotted owl. The two species require healthy and abundant old growth forests to thrive. More aggressive, the barred owl has made inroads, however, they may also inhabit nearby younger forests and are more adaptable to alternative habitats. Does killing tens of thousands of one species of owls in the deep forest ensure the survival of another? Kent Livezey, a former USFWS biologist and author of 14 peer-reviewed papers on barred and spotted owls, said: “I do not believe that spending more than 1 billion dollars to kill almost one-half million barred owls is worth the carnage, expense, precedents and distraction from what is the more important issue: protection of biodiverse old-growth forests.” ~ Gina Garey, Maine state director, Animal Wellness Action