More Owls Nest at Gillmor Sanctuary Thanks to New Digs—Literally!

Workers, companions, and volunteers have been busy at Audubon’s Gillmor Sanctuary alongside Nice Salt Lake. Ongoing restoration initiatives have seen over a thousand acres of invasive tamarisk trees removed, and lots of areas have additionally been hand-seeded with native grasses, shrubs, and forbs. Elimination of the invasive bushes cleared the way in which for these native vegetation to rebound, and for native wildlife to return.

This contains Burrowing Owls, a novel, ground-dwelling species that prefers open, treeless landscapes with quick, sparse vegetation. However even after eradicating the tamarisk and seeding, there was nonetheless one lacking part for the Burrowing Owls to thrive on the sanctuary: nesting websites!

Over time, most of the pure burrows on the sanctuary that owls have nested in—dug by prairie canine, badgers, desert tortoises, and different wildlife— have collapsed. Burrow collapses occur naturally however will be accelerated when giant animals, similar to cattle and bison, often stroll or wallow above the websites. Whereas a handful of pure burrows exist on the sanctuary, we wished to actively improve nesting alternatives.

Setting Up the Websites

To do that, Audubon requested for the assistance of the unbelievable community of neighborhood conservation companions and volunteers within the Salt Lake Valley. We constructed bolstered synthetic nest burrows utilizing upcycled supplies. These burrows can face up to the load of huge mammals strolling above and be maintained as wanted. 

Nest websites have been additionally rigorously chosen. All have been positioned in areas the place invasive vegetation had been eliminated and owls had open views of the encircling panorama. This visibility permits the owls to detect approaching predators whereas additionally offering entry to quick grasslands and sparse shrub cowl the place they hunt rodents, bugs, reptiles, and small birds. 

Organizations together with HawkWatch Worldwide, Tracy Aviary, Sageland Collaborative, Mates of Nice Salt Lake, Nice Salt Lake Institute, The Jordan River Fee, Salt Lake Neighborhood School, Boy Scouts of America, and lots of devoted volunteers joined Audubon’s Gillmor Sanctuary and Saline Lakes groups within the discipline. Collectively, with shovels in hand, 18 synthetic burrows have been put in, creating 9 new nest websites. With plans to dig 14 extra, our grand complete shall be 32 burrows and 16 nesting websites.

Whooo’s Moved In?

Spring and summer season 2026 has been the primary nesting season because the burrows have been put in. We anticipated it could take as much as two years for nesting pairs to point out up. Nevertheless, seven out of 9 websites have already got a nest! One burrow was occupied simply three days after being put in. Every website has been noticed over the nesting season and we’re excited to report each nest has efficiently fledged owlets.

These early outcomes recommend that habitat restoration mixed with synthetic nesting burrows generally is a extremely efficient technique for supporting Burrowing Owl populations. Owls are utilizing the websites, nesting efficiently, and elevating younger in areas that just a few years in the past have been crowded by invasive vegetation and missing appropriate burrows.

Audubon will restore extra habitat at Gillmor Sanctuary whereas constructing and sustaining Burrowing Owl nesting websites. Monitoring nesting websites may even assist us perceive how grassland species reply to habitat restoration and which practices finest help Burrowing Owls and different native species within the space. Audubon, in partnership with HawkWatch Worldwide, will proceed to check the well being and developments of native Burrowing Owl populations to achieve perception into encouraging populations of this charismatic species.

A noticed, a shovel, some seed, and a devoted neighborhood have made a constructive distinction for grassland birds in our nook of the Nice Salt Lake ecosystem. 

Restoration efforts on Gillmor Sanctuary’s uplands additionally transcend synthetic burrows. Learn the way Audubon is encouraging extra Burrowing Owls to nest on the sanctuary by reducing down invasive bushes. Read more. To be taught extra about Gillmor Sanctuary, click here.
 

We wish to prolong an enormous thanks to the entire organizations and volunteers who made this work potential. Thanks, additionally, to the Nation Fish and Wildlife Federations’ America the Lovely Problem Grant and Browning Basis for funding this essential work.