Alex,
The report below may pertain to your question, from Joan Collins on the
northern NY bird list (see links to her at end). Although our snowpack
depth is low here, the density and hardness are very high, making it
difficult for raptors and owls to find and catch prey. There may be
other explanations as well...
Doug Hardy, Norwich
Ellie George also brought up the topic of observing lots of Barred Owls
this winter. I am also seeing many Barred Owls – this week, I observed
one along Route 28N in Long Lake at 3 p.m. on Jan. 16. It is a bad sign
to see Barred Owls hunting along the road or at feeder locations in
winter. They are highly territorial and are reluctant to leave their
territory even when food sources are low (so they’ll just starve rather
than leave). When they have enough food, they are generally hidden in
the forest. It seems these winters with low numbers of small mammals
are becoming more common. Rehabilitators end up with lots of Barred
Owls hit by cars or birds that become weak enough (on the ground) for
people to capture. The one that starved outside our Long Lake home 2
years ago literally fell out of the tree dead. Unfortunately, it never
became grounded for me to capture it. It is also hard to tell from
looking at a Barred Owl that it is starving. When I picked up the dead
owl, it felt like a skeleton – all bones – an awful experience. I
received many reports that winter from others in Long Lake and Blue
Mountain Lake from people with dead Barred Owls in their yards.
Ellie pondered the possible reasons for seeing so many Barred Owls – low
food sources or over-population. Unlike Snowy Owls, which vary their
clutch size based on food availability (3 to 5 when food sources are
low, and 7 to 11 when they are high!), Barred Owls almost always have
just 2 young (and that is always the number I have observed). Snowy
Owls move for food in winter, but also in years when they have had
successful nesting seasons with lots more young. When we see lots of
Barred Owls along roads and at feeders, it is because they are not
finding enough food in the forest.
Often, the Barred Owls observed during the day along roads or at feeders
are right on the edge of survival. It is best to keep a good distance
so they are not disturbed. The Barred Owl that died outside our home
became more and more lethargic – roosting in a tree just a few feet from
our porch all day. I wish there was some way to provide thousands of
mice for all the Barred Owls this winter!
Joan Collins
President, NYS Ornithological Association
Editor, New York Birders
Long Lake, NY
(315) 244-7127 cell
(518) 624-5528 home
http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian
On 1/18/2017 7:29 AM, Alex Medlicott wrote:
> To all: Does anyone have an explanation for the unusually high numbers of dead grey raptor-like birds on the side of route 91 between Brattleboro and the Upper Valley? They look like small hawks, but making an firm ID is tough, given our speed and the condition of the bodies. Is there some infectious disease that's making them slow and stupid? Any information would be very interesting. Thanks, Alex Medlicott Piermont, NH
>
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--
*****************************************************************
Douglas R. Hardy, Ph.D. phone: 802-649-1829 or
Dept. of Geosciences 413-545-0659
Morrill Science Center fax: 413-545-1200 or 802-649-1829
Univ. of Massachusetts e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Amherst MA 01003-9297 http://www.geo.umass.edu/climate/doug
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