Northern spotted owl populations are approaching or have already crossed functional extinction across large areas of the Pacific Northwest. Researchers used artificial intelligence and advanced monitoring methods to assess long-term trends at an unprecedented scale. Northern spotted owl populations have declined for decades, due to continued habitat loss from logging and wildfire and competition from barred owls. While this study identifies where populations are at or near functional extinction, meaning numbers are so low that they no longer play a meaningful ecological role or cannot reproduce enough to persist. It also provides detailed population data on barred owls, which outcompete northern spotted owls for prey and habitat.

Full paper: Lesmeister, Damon B., Julianna M. A. Jenkins, Raymond J. Davis, Natalie M. Rugg, Cara L. Appel, Larissa L. Bailey, Erin Bayne, et al. 2026. “ Listening for Extinction: Range-Wide Occupancy Highlights Critical Risks and Priorities for Northern Spotted Owls.” Ecological Applications 36(5): e70294. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.70294

News release: https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/listening-extinction-study-finds-areas-critical-concern-northern-spotted-owls