Look for More Snowy Owls This Winter
OutdoorHub Reporters 12.19.13
Outdoorsmen in America’s Northeast and Great Lake states can expect to see more Snowy Owls this season, in what is being called the largest migration in a half-century. The influx of birds moving down from the Arctic is so great that sightings have been reported as far south as Missouri and South Carolina. According to biologist Kevin McGowan of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, these owls may stick around longer than usual.
“More than likely these Snowy Owls are moving south from the Arctic because of a shortage of their favorite food up north—lemmings, or because of a bumper crop of young,” McGowan said. “We can expect them to stick around through early spring before they head back to the Arctic again.”
Snowy Owls are generally found in the northern stretches of Alaska, Canada, Eurasia, and the Arctic. The birds migrate south in the winter during what biologists call “irruptions.” It is an annual event highly anticipated by bird watchers and other outdoorsmen in the eastern United States and Canada. The large owls are characterized by their white coloring and thick plumage. Snowy Owls are ferocious predators and can prey on anything from lemmings to geese. Unfortunately, their search for food often brings them close to airports, where the birds present a danger to planes. Snowy Owls prefer wide-open spaces that resemble the Arctic tundra, and airports make ideal hunting grounds. More airports are turning to trapping or wildlife removal experts instead of killing the birds, which may also account slightly for the increase of Snowy Owls across the East Coast.
“This year’s Snowy Owl irruption is the largest we’ve seen in decades in the Northeast and this is an awesome opportunity for people to see these birds.” said McGowan. “…Snowy Owls are one of the most impressive animals on the planet. You don’t have to be a bird watcher to appreciate how cool they are!”
