SURVEYS OF PUERTO-RICAN SCREECH-OWL POPULATIONS IN LARGE-TRACT AND FRAGMENTED FOREST HABITATS

We conducted road surveys of Puerto Rican Screech-Owls (Otus nudipes) by playing conspecific vocalizations in secondary wet forest and fragm ented secondary moist forest in rural areas of eastern Puerto Rico. Si x paired surveys were conducted bi-weekly beginning in April. We recor ded number of owl responses, cloud cover, wind speed, moon phase, and number of cars passing during 5-min stops at 60 locations. Owls respon ded in similar numbers (P > 0.05) in both habitat types. Also, we dete cted no correlation of the number of owls with cloud cover, wind speed moon phase, or passing cars.