Our Research
A spectrogram of Alice's hoot
In 2004 our Executive Director, Karla Bloem, began studying Great Horned Owl vocalizations. Initially she was studying the vocal repertoire and behavioral context, but has expanded to include regional variation, vocal development, individual variation, nesting ecology, and dispersal and survival of captive-reared birds. Her research has used both captive and wild owls, including a non-releasable wild pair breeding in captivity. Volunteer citizen scientists have assisted with data collection by submitting observations of the live-streamed breeding pair and observations at other wild Great Horned Owl cams.
We are now also doing a passive acoustic monitoring study to detect Barn Owls in Minnesota. The species mostly disappeared from the state by the mid-1960s but is now starting to return. A grant from the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union paid for the purchase of two Song Meter Minis and a year-long subscription to Kaleidoscope software to analyze recordings.
We are now also doing a passive acoustic monitoring study to detect Barn Owls in Minnesota. The species mostly disappeared from the state by the mid-1960s but is now starting to return. A grant from the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union paid for the purchase of two Song Meter Minis and a year-long subscription to Kaleidoscope software to analyze recordings.
Karla tracking a Great Horned Owl with radio telemetry
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Analyzing Barn Owl recordings
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PUBLISHED PAPERS:
Bloem K.A. and H. Bloem. 2019. Dispersal and Survival of Three Captive-bred Great Horned Owls Bubo virginianus in Southeastern Minnesota. The Loon 91(2): 43-49.
Bloem K.A., M. Savelsberg, and R.A. Yoakum. 2018. Recent Barn Owl Records in Minnesota. The Loon 90(2): 39-41.
Kinstler K.A. 2009. Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus vocalizations and associated behaviours. In: Johnson D.H., Van Nieuwenhuyse D. & Duncan J.R. (eds) Proc. Fourth World Owl Conf. Oct–Nov 2007, Groningen, The Netherlands. Ardea 97(4): 413–420.
Kinstler K.A. 2008. An Old Northern Saw-whet Owl Nesting Record from Southeast Minnesota. The Loon 30(2): 101-102.
Bloem K.A. and H. Bloem. 2019. Dispersal and Survival of Three Captive-bred Great Horned Owls Bubo virginianus in Southeastern Minnesota. The Loon 91(2): 43-49.
Bloem K.A., M. Savelsberg, and R.A. Yoakum. 2018. Recent Barn Owl Records in Minnesota. The Loon 90(2): 39-41.
Kinstler K.A. 2009. Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus vocalizations and associated behaviours. In: Johnson D.H., Van Nieuwenhuyse D. & Duncan J.R. (eds) Proc. Fourth World Owl Conf. Oct–Nov 2007, Groningen, The Netherlands. Ardea 97(4): 413–420.
Kinstler K.A. 2008. An Old Northern Saw-whet Owl Nesting Record from Southeast Minnesota. The Loon 30(2): 101-102.
PRESENTATIONS:
Bloem, K. A., R. Yoakum, and M. Savelsberg. September 2017. Vocal Development of Juvenile Great Horned Owls. World Owl Conference, Evora, Portugal.
Bloem, K. A. and M. Savelsberg. October 2015. De Vocale Ontwikkeling van de juveniele Amerikaanse Oehoe. Landelijke Uilendag, Meppel, The Netherlands.
Bloem, K. A. June 2014. Le vocalizzazioni del Gufo della Virginia and Permiazione e gemellaggio con Festival of Owls. Festival dei Gufi, Grazzano Visconti, Italy.
Bloem, K. A., B. G. Marcot, and C. Belongie. October 2013. Variation in the primary song of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) throughout their range. Worldwide Raptor Conference (Raptor Research Foundation Annual Conference 2013, III Neotropical Raptor Network Conference, and WWGBP VII International Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls), Bariloche, Argentina.
Bloem, K.A. October 2011. Great Horned Owl Vocal Study. A.G. Eulen annual conference, Marsberg-Bredelar, Germany.
Kinstler, K. A. November 2007. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) vocalisations and associated behaviours. World Owl Conference, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Bloem, K. A., R. Yoakum, and M. Savelsberg. September 2017. Vocal Development of Juvenile Great Horned Owls. World Owl Conference, Evora, Portugal.
Bloem, K. A. and M. Savelsberg. October 2015. De Vocale Ontwikkeling van de juveniele Amerikaanse Oehoe. Landelijke Uilendag, Meppel, The Netherlands.
Bloem, K. A. June 2014. Le vocalizzazioni del Gufo della Virginia and Permiazione e gemellaggio con Festival of Owls. Festival dei Gufi, Grazzano Visconti, Italy.
Bloem, K. A., B. G. Marcot, and C. Belongie. October 2013. Variation in the primary song of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) throughout their range. Worldwide Raptor Conference (Raptor Research Foundation Annual Conference 2013, III Neotropical Raptor Network Conference, and WWGBP VII International Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls), Bariloche, Argentina.
Bloem, K.A. October 2011. Great Horned Owl Vocal Study. A.G. Eulen annual conference, Marsberg-Bredelar, Germany.
Kinstler, K. A. November 2007. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) vocalisations and associated behaviours. World Owl Conference, Groningen, The Netherlands.
