Avondale Data Center Burrowing Owl Surveys and relocations

SWCA provided pre‑construction environmental services for a proposed development on an approximately 77.5‑acre site in Avondale, Arizona, with a focus on compliance related to western burrowing owl protection. Certified SWCA biologists conducted site reconnaissance and protocol‑level burrowing owl surveys in accordance with Arizona Game and Fish Department guidance to identify suitable habitat, locate burrows, and determine occupancy.

Survey efforts included systematic transect surveys, inspection of burrows for signs of activity, habitat mapping, and use of remote monitoring tools, as needed, to confirm occupancy. Where appropriate and allowable, unoccupied burrows were managed to reduce the potential for future occupancy prior to construction.

Through early coordination, regulatory expertise, and close collaboration with the client, SWCA helped facilitate responsible project planning while supporting the conservation of a sensitive species in a rapidly developing area of the Southwest.