Snowy owl sightings soar

[pokerfan]

Denver Holt, head of the Owl Research Institute in Montana, has studied snowy owls in their Arctic tundra ecosystem for two decades. He told Reuters:

What we’re seeing now – it’s unbelievable.

This is the most significant wildlife event in decades.

For the real snowy owls, researchers say the drive for food is likely behind their increased migrations south. They observed that snowy owls have hatched unusually large clutches last season, up to seven owl chicks compared to the more normal two.

http://earthsky.org/biodiversity/snowy-owl-sightings-soar

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[mike_c]

2. must have been a good year for rodents to support those high clutch sizes....

Unfortunately, there's a pretty cruel thing that happens at the top of those population cycles.

[IADEMO2004]

3. Snowies in Iowa

Map of sightings

http://iowabirds.org/

I never knew Snowy Owls were Christians

[Marnie]

4. The question is, with the tundra melting and warm weather taking up more days of the year further

ward, why are the owls moving south?

At the same time seasonally southward migrating birds are over summering further north than usual in recent years.

It would seem that the owls would be finding more rodents and small mammals northward, and there is less competition from other more southerly owls, and mammal predators. Are they praying on migratory birds that are over summering further north?

[semillama]

10. The owls are moving south because they are getting kicked out of the territory of older owls

These owls we are seeing here are victims of their own success; many of the young birds are starving to death due to a combination of inexperience and being in an unfamiliar habitat. Others seem to be doing fine, though. I've seen two of the snowies reported here in Ohio; one was found starved to death and the other is still hanging around the Ashtabula harbor.

If you get a chance to go see one, do it! magnificent birds!

[Yo_Mama]

11. Population explosion producing emigration of surplus population

They can't go further north, so....

[mopinko]

5. haven't seen one myself, but understand that there are some

in chicago. not that unusual for lake michigan shores.
got to get out there.

[ZombieHorde]

6. I love owls. They're awesome. nt

[AlecBGreen]

7. me too

have you seen this?

[ZombieHorde]

8. That's awesome.

That must be terrifying for many animals.

[AlecBGreen]

9. yeah!

Thats what I tell my students. "This is the last thing many creatures see (or dont see!)"