HABITAT OF THE MEXICAN SPOTTED OWL (Strix occidentalis lucida) IN TLACHICHILA, ZACATECAS, MEXICO

Abstract

The Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) is a threatened species in areas of México and the United States of America. In México, it is distributed from the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental to the Eje Neovolcánico Transversal. This species has a wide range of distribution but has been scarcely studied. In this study, the habitat of resting spots for the Mexican spotted owl were localized, recorded and characterized, through sampling in Tlachichila, Zacatecas, México, at stations for night calling with vocal imitations of the species and searches during the day. The area sampled was 51.8 km² and five sub-adult individuals were located in three resting sites (two couples and a solitary individual). To characterize their habitat, circular plots of 20 meters diameter were established, considering the perch site as the center of the plot. Two of the perch species were Quercus spp. and Alnus spp., and they had a perch height close to 7±2.1 m, on trees of a height of 8.5±2.1 m and average diameter of 29.8±8.2 cm in areas of the mountainside with northern and southeastern exposure, with slopes of 51±28%, elevation of 2444.6±12.9 m and mean temperature of 19.5±1.7 °C. The soil coverage in the resting sites was characterized mostly by the presence of fallen leaves, herbaceous species and rocks. The Mexican spotted owl in Tlachichila, Zacatecas, occupied areas quite similar to others used in its distribution area in México and the United States.