Virtual Owl Expert Speaker Series
Select Sunday afternoons in the winter at 1 PM Central Time
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January 18, 2026, 1:00 PM Central Time
Barred Owls eat everything while Spotted Owls lose ground: A genetic perspective on Anthropocene landscapes
with Dr. Emily Fountain and Dr. Daniela Arenas
Emily Fountain and Daniela Arenas are scientists at the University of Wisconsin – Madison who use genomics to inform the conservation of Spotted Owls and ecological communities in California, United States. Their talk will address the role of human modified landscapes in the decline of California and Northern Spotted Owls, including but not limited to, the invasion of Barred Owls into the western United States. They will discuss their genetic research on the declining California Spotted Owl in Southern California, as well as the molecular assessment and ecological impacts of the diet of Barred Owls in the Pacific Northwest.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
Barred Owls eat everything while Spotted Owls lose ground: A genetic perspective on Anthropocene landscapes
with Dr. Emily Fountain and Dr. Daniela Arenas
Emily Fountain and Daniela Arenas are scientists at the University of Wisconsin – Madison who use genomics to inform the conservation of Spotted Owls and ecological communities in California, United States. Their talk will address the role of human modified landscapes in the decline of California and Northern Spotted Owls, including but not limited to, the invasion of Barred Owls into the western United States. They will discuss their genetic research on the declining California Spotted Owl in Southern California, as well as the molecular assessment and ecological impacts of the diet of Barred Owls in the Pacific Northwest.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
January 25, 2026, 1:00 PM Central Time
Managing Barred Owls to Save the Spotted Owl: A Longstanding Conservation Tool
with Janice Reid, President of Umpqua Watersheds, Oregon, USA
Janice Reid, a longtime Northern Spotted Owl researcher, will speak about Barred Owl management and its role in addressing the ongoing decline of Spotted Owl populations in the western United States. Reid spent more than 30 years studying Northern Spotted Owls in western Oregon with the Pacific Northwest Research Station and brings deep field experience to this complex and often controversial topic.
Her talk will place current Barred Owl control efforts in a broader conservation context, emphasizing that the use of lethal management to protect vulnerable species is not a new or unprecedented tool. Reid will discuss why Barred Owl management has generated heightened public controversy compared to other species control programs, and what the science tells us about competition, habitat, and the future of the Northern Spotted Owl.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
Managing Barred Owls to Save the Spotted Owl: A Longstanding Conservation Tool
with Janice Reid, President of Umpqua Watersheds, Oregon, USA
Janice Reid, a longtime Northern Spotted Owl researcher, will speak about Barred Owl management and its role in addressing the ongoing decline of Spotted Owl populations in the western United States. Reid spent more than 30 years studying Northern Spotted Owls in western Oregon with the Pacific Northwest Research Station and brings deep field experience to this complex and often controversial topic.
Her talk will place current Barred Owl control efforts in a broader conservation context, emphasizing that the use of lethal management to protect vulnerable species is not a new or unprecedented tool. Reid will discuss why Barred Owl management has generated heightened public controversy compared to other species control programs, and what the science tells us about competition, habitat, and the future of the Northern Spotted Owl.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
February 1, 2026, 1:00 PM Central Time
One Nest Box at a Time: Bringing Barn Owls and Kestrels Back to Maryland's Working Landscapes
with Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini, Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, USA
Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini from the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership’s Farmland Raptor Program will discuss their efforts to bring American Barn Owls back to Maryland’s working landscapes. Through nest box installation, systematic monitoring, and targeted field research, they are building a clearer picture of what these owls need to persist in working landscapes. The talk will highlight insights gained from nest box programs, methods for safely capturing and banding adult American Barn Owls, and how these data inform our understanding of survival, movement, and breeding ecology.
You can make a donation to support this project by clicking here. Please indicate in the comment section that your donation is for the Farmland Raptor Program.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
One Nest Box at a Time: Bringing Barn Owls and Kestrels Back to Maryland's Working Landscapes
with Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini, Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, USA
Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini from the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership’s Farmland Raptor Program will discuss their efforts to bring American Barn Owls back to Maryland’s working landscapes. Through nest box installation, systematic monitoring, and targeted field research, they are building a clearer picture of what these owls need to persist in working landscapes. The talk will highlight insights gained from nest box programs, methods for safely capturing and banding adult American Barn Owls, and how these data inform our understanding of survival, movement, and breeding ecology.
You can make a donation to support this project by clicking here. Please indicate in the comment section that your donation is for the Farmland Raptor Program.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
February 8, 2026, 1:00 PM Central Time
Where the Owls Go: Methods and Insights from Short-eared Owl Research in Maryland
with Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini, Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, USA
Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini from the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership’s Farmland Raptor Program will present their ongoing research on Short-eared Owls in Maryland, focused on understanding winter habitat use, movement, and behavior in fragmented agricultural and grassland landscapes. Their work aims to address key knowledge gaps for a species that remains difficult to study and conserve. The talk will highlight preliminary insights, methodological challenges, and opportunities for collaboration to better understand and protect Short-eared Owls in the Mid-Atlantic United States.
You can make a donation to support this project by clicking here. Please indicate in the comment section that your donation is for the Farmland Raptor Program.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
Where the Owls Go: Methods and Insights from Short-eared Owl Research in Maryland
with Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini, Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, USA
Andy Brown and Alex Pellegrini from the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership’s Farmland Raptor Program will present their ongoing research on Short-eared Owls in Maryland, focused on understanding winter habitat use, movement, and behavior in fragmented agricultural and grassland landscapes. Their work aims to address key knowledge gaps for a species that remains difficult to study and conserve. The talk will highlight preliminary insights, methodological challenges, and opportunities for collaboration to better understand and protect Short-eared Owls in the Mid-Atlantic United States.
You can make a donation to support this project by clicking here. Please indicate in the comment section that your donation is for the Farmland Raptor Program.
The presentation will be about one hour, with up to one additional hour allowed for questions.
Free webinar. Register to get the Zoom link. It will be concurrently livestreamed to our YouTube channel.
Saved presentations may be viewed on our YouTube channel:
Hedwig: the Snowy Owl that lived, with Dr. Roar Solheim from Norway
Owls in Myth and Culture: a Global Perspective, with David H. Johnson from Virginia, USA
Barred Owls Come to Town: A Nocturnal Predator Thrives in Suburban Habitats, with Rob Bierregaard from Pennsylvania, USA
Owls and Education: Changing owl perceptions in southern Africa, with Jonathan Haw, South Africa
Colours of Grey, with Roar Solheim from Norway
Following Forest Owls: Community science-driven studies of small owl communities in western North American forests, with Dave Oleyar from Idaho, USA
Interspecific competition between owls, raptors and mammalian predators, with Fred and Henk-Jan Koning from The Netherlands
Owl We Need is Love, with Milan Ružić from Serbia
Haunting Hoots of Indian Owls: ELA Foundation Story, with Prof. Dr. Satish A. Pande from India
Neotropical Frequent Flyers: Tracking the long-distance migration and stopover ecology of Flammulated Owls, with Dr. Brian D. Linkhart from Colorado, USA
Owls for Peace, with Alexandre Roulin from Switzerland
The Irruptive Nature of Owls, with J.F. Therrien from USA/Canada
Tracking Burrowing Owls to Determine Conservation Needs in Prairie Canada, with Dr. Geoff Holroyd from Alberta, Canada
Whoo gets hurt by rat poisons?, with Sofi Hindmarch from British Columbia, Canada
The Northern Spotted Owl: Conservation Saga of an Old Forest Icon with Dr. David Wiens, USA
European Owls: made to hunt - Anatomy shaping the variation in hunting behaviours and food processing among owls, with Dr. Arnold van den Burg and Kas Koenraads (The Netherlands)
Burrowing Owls in British Columbia with Lauren Meads (Canada)
Is Spotted Owl conservation a problem or a symptom of a larger issue? with Rocky Gutierrez, California USA
Flaco the Eurasian Eagle Owl Panel Discussion with David Lei, Jacqueline Emery, Marjon Savelsberg and Lisa Owens-Viani (USA & The Netherlands)
Hedwig: the Snowy Owl that lived, with Dr. Roar Solheim from Norway
Owls in Myth and Culture: a Global Perspective, with David H. Johnson from Virginia, USA
Barred Owls Come to Town: A Nocturnal Predator Thrives in Suburban Habitats, with Rob Bierregaard from Pennsylvania, USA
Owls and Education: Changing owl perceptions in southern Africa, with Jonathan Haw, South Africa
Colours of Grey, with Roar Solheim from Norway
Following Forest Owls: Community science-driven studies of small owl communities in western North American forests, with Dave Oleyar from Idaho, USA
Interspecific competition between owls, raptors and mammalian predators, with Fred and Henk-Jan Koning from The Netherlands
Owl We Need is Love, with Milan Ružić from Serbia
Haunting Hoots of Indian Owls: ELA Foundation Story, with Prof. Dr. Satish A. Pande from India
Neotropical Frequent Flyers: Tracking the long-distance migration and stopover ecology of Flammulated Owls, with Dr. Brian D. Linkhart from Colorado, USA
Owls for Peace, with Alexandre Roulin from Switzerland
The Irruptive Nature of Owls, with J.F. Therrien from USA/Canada
Tracking Burrowing Owls to Determine Conservation Needs in Prairie Canada, with Dr. Geoff Holroyd from Alberta, Canada
Whoo gets hurt by rat poisons?, with Sofi Hindmarch from British Columbia, Canada
The Northern Spotted Owl: Conservation Saga of an Old Forest Icon with Dr. David Wiens, USA
European Owls: made to hunt - Anatomy shaping the variation in hunting behaviours and food processing among owls, with Dr. Arnold van den Burg and Kas Koenraads (The Netherlands)
Burrowing Owls in British Columbia with Lauren Meads (Canada)
Is Spotted Owl conservation a problem or a symptom of a larger issue? with Rocky Gutierrez, California USA
Flaco the Eurasian Eagle Owl Panel Discussion with David Lei, Jacqueline Emery, Marjon Savelsberg and Lisa Owens-Viani (USA & The Netherlands)
