In a significant milestone for conservation efforts, a burrowing owl named "Green48" has made a triumphant return to Alberta after migrating to Mexico for the winter, marking the first successful round-trip migration in a conservation program that began in 2016.Staff at Calgary's Wilder Institute were thrilled to welcome back Green48, who had been part of their head-starting program since July 2022. The owl was initially brought into the program as a young owlet unlikely to survive its first year of life. After spending the winter under the care of conservation staff, Green48 was released back into the prairies in May 2023. Her successful return from Mexico is being hailed as a breakthrough for the endangered species.“For the first time since the program began in 2016, a head-started burrowing owl has migrated to Mexico, overwintered, and returned to nest in Alberta," said Graham Dixon-MacCallum, Conservation Research Population Ecologist at the Wilder Institute."Migration to and from Mexico across the continental USA is a significant challenge for burrowing owls and many do not survive the trip. Having this burrowing owl return and nest is an example of why we should be hopeful for this endangered species.”Green48 embarked on her first migration south in October 2023, reaching Mexico near the U.S. border. Her journey was tracked using a small solar-powered satellite transmitter, which provided valuable data every minute for 10 hours before recharging. .This information helps conservationists understand the challenges burrowing owls face during migration and informs future conservation strategies. Green48 began her return north in March 2024, traveling through several U.S. states before arriving back in Alberta.Upon her return, Green48 found a wild male partner and established a nest at a site 60 km from the CFB Suffield National Wildlife Area, where she was originally released. Observations by the field team, using a burrow scope, revealed at least three nestlings in her burrow, a promising sign of reproductive success.The Wilder Institute will continue to monitor Green48 as she resides in Alberta and prepares for future migrations. This success story highlights the impact of the head-starting program, which aims to improve reproductive success and increase survival rates by intervening during critical early stages of the owl’s life. The program has released 145 head-started burrowing owls back into the wild since its inception.“The Archibald Biodiversity Centre provides a temporary home for wild burrowing owlets, offering a secure environment, balanced nutrition, and necessary medical care,” said Caitlin Slade, Animal Care Manager at the Wilder Institute’s Archibald Biodiversity Centre and the Wildlife Conservation Centre. “We ensure minimal human interaction to keep the process as natural as possible.”
