Dr. Dave Oleyar is a senior scientist with HawkWatch International whose research focuses on the conservation of forest owls in western North America. He studies the habitat use, nesting behavior and population dynamics of flammulated owls, working to better understand how these migratory birds may be affected by climate change and other environmental pressures. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Washington, following graduate studies in raptor biology at Boise State University.

His work centers on understanding what these owls need to successfully breed and persist across changing landscapes. By monitoring nest sites, habitat conditions and populations, he examines how conservation and land-management decisions influence their long-term survival.

His research contributes to practical conservation strategies aimed at protecting owl habitat and improving understanding of a species that remains relatively understudied. The data collected through his projects help inform management decisions that promote healthy forest ecosystems.

In the field, much of his work takes place after dark, listening for owl calls and monitoring nest cavities and nest boxes. One of the most rewarding moments comes when he peers into a cavity and finds a flammulated owl looking back—or discovers that a bird banded years earlier has returned after migrating to Mexico and back.

His work is helping reveal how owls respond to environmental change, providing the knowledge needed to conserve these remarkable birds and the forests they inhabit.