Population densities of northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) in degraded boreal forests of the southern Appalachians

A disjunct population of the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) breeds in the montane spruce-fir forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains. These forests are listed as the second most endangered ecosystem in the United States, having suffered from logging and massive fir die-off from the exotic balsam woolly adelgid. We used audio playbacks to compare densities of saw-whets prior to fir die-off(1968-1969) with those now (1993-1994); numbers were almost identical, suggesting little if any impact from the adelgid. Extrapolation from our density estimates, however, show fewer than 500 pair of saw-whets in the southeastern population. Global warming, air pollution, outbreaks of new pests, and burgeoning recreational demands may further degrade these forests, leading to the possible extirpation of saw-whets from the southern Appalachians.