Minnesota's Northern Owl invasion

["Betsy Beneke" <BIRDERBETSY at msn dot com>]

Utah Birders -

 

As a former Minnesotan, I've continued to stay in touch with the birding world there.  This is especially true now, since I'll be spending two weeks over the Holidays in northern Minnesota.  I thought you might all be interested to see what's on today's Duluth birding report about the northern owl invasion.

 

Betsy Beneke

Perry, Utah

 

This is the Duluth Birding Report for Thursday, December 2, 2004, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.

This fall's remarkable owl irruption continues. There are now over 500 reports of GREAT GRAY OWL sightings, and another 125 NORTHERN HAWK OWL sightings. These species may be seen almost anywhere in northern
Minnesota now. Some birders saw 30-50 owls in one day last weekend. An easily accessible Great Gray spot is along the Hwy 61 Expressway between Duluth and Two Harbors.  In and near Duluth this week, Kim
Eckert found one in Chester Bowl on November 30, Lori Hutchins reported another from Enger Golf Course on the 29th, and more than one observer reported birds at Hawk Ridge and along Rice Lake Rd.  Both species are easy to find in the Sax-Zim area, and Cty Rd 7 between 52 and 319 remains the easiest place to spot hawk owls.

The irruption is likely the result of the four year low point in the population cycle of the small rodents that make up most of the prey for these species, combined with a very wet and cold summer across Canada
that resulted in a further reduction in the available food. Numbers of these species increase in our area every four years or so (following the prey cycle), but this year's irruption is unprecedented.

Over 300 BOREAL OWLS have been banded in northeastern Minnesota this fall, another astounding number. However, these were all birds that were netted at night, banded, and released immediately. I am aware of
no other sightings of this species. Quite a few observers have written to me to ask (and in some cases, demand) that I 'fess up about where the boreals are. If a stake-out bird of this species is located, it will be reported as soon as possible.