U.S. wildlife officials have finalized a plan to ramp up efforts to eliminate invasive barred owls that are displacing native owls in West Coast forests. Trained shooters will target barred owls over 30 years across approximately 23,000 square miles in California, Oregon, and Washington. The goal is to remove up to 452,000 barred owls to protect competing northern spotted owls and California spotted owls.

The arrival of barred owls from eastern North America in the Pacific Northwest during the 1970s has led to the rapid displacement of smaller spotted owls. With an estimated 100,000 barred owls now inhabiting an area where only about 7,100 spotted owls reside, the newcomers also pose a threat to frog and salamander species they prey upon.

The controversial strategy of killing barred owls to save other species has divided wildlife advocates. Similar efforts in the past aimed at protecting different animal species, such as West Coast salmon and warblers, have faced scrutiny. The proposed barred owl removals would be one of the most extensive endeavors involving birds of prey to date, according to researchers and wildlife advocates.

Despite experimental killing of barred owls over 15 years showing some success, challenges remain as the barred owl population continues to expand aggressively. The plan involves delegating government agencies, landowners, tribes, or companies to carry out the removals, with stringent requirements for shooters regarding owl identification and firearm skills.

While some wildlife advocates support the eradication of barred owls, others argue that the focus should be on forest preservation. The spread of barred owls has undermined previous restoration efforts aimed at protecting spotted owls by focusing on forest conservation. Northern spotted owls are federally protected as a threatened species, and California spotted owls are also under consideration for federal protections.

Efforts to eliminate barred owls involve using recorded owl calls to lure them near roads for removal. Various approaches, such as capturing and euthanizing the owls or collecting their eggs, were considered but deemed impractical or costly. Despite the removal of around 4,500 barred owls on the West Coast since 2009, the continuous influx of new barred owls remains a challenge for conservationists.