Palmer, G. H., R. Nathan Gwinn, and J. E. Gwinn. 2009. Entanglement of a western screech-owl (Megascops kennicottii) in Coulter spiderling (Boerhaavia coulteri). The Southwestern Naturalist 54:523-524

We report an incident from southeastern Arizona of an adult western screech-owl (Megascops kennicottii) entangled in Coulter spiderling (Boerhaavia coulteri), a native forb. Boerhaaviathrives in open areas, such as heavily grazed rangeland and other anthropogenically disturbed land. Rapid urban development may create favorable conditions for proliferation of Boerhaavia and promote avian entanglements.