Wildlife

California Drought 'Emaciates' Hawks and Owls, Forces a Lost Generation

Perpetual drought across the coastal regions of Southern California has left raptors emaciated, contributing to silence in their once populated breeding grounds.

In regions usually swarming with hawks and other birds of prey, nests remain empty, Audubon California Bird Conservation Program Director Andrea Jones said.

"We're losing an entire generation," Jones said. "This has been going on for a while and we have seen significant declines in species including red-shouldered hawks, golden eagles and White-tail Kites."

A major contributing factor is the drastically reduced food supply consisting of insects and small mammals that various bird species feed upon.

"The impact of the drought has been pretty severe," Jones said. "We know that it is one of the worst breeding seasons on record."

Jones said that there have been very few active nests spotted, including a webcam set up to observe the nesting of Barn Owls located at Audubon California Starr Ranch Sanctuary. "Birds are just not nesting," she said. "They're not laying eggs."

Even though one Barn Owl egg was laid at Starr Ranch Sanctuary, it was abandoned by its mother because the male quit supplying her with food, Jones said.

Barn Owls can lay many eggs at a time, but even the lonesome egg could not be supported this March. The embryo later died after being completely ignored upon its mother's return.

Jones said various species of bird are emaciated and are not exhibiting normal breeding behaviours.

The drought is impacting the entire ecosystem - because of a lack of grass, which inhibits insects and small mammals from reproducing, it has reduced the supply of a variety of species, not just birds, she said.