Fw: [IBLE] Snowy Owl caution

["james.d.mcintyre" <james dot d dot mcintyre at worldnet dot att dot net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Charles Swift 
To: IBLE 
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 1:33 PM
Subject: Snowy Owl caution



Hi All -

Just a caution that pale owls such as Barn Owls often get reported as 
Snowy
Owls. Even pale Great Horned Owls seen at dusk could be reported as 
Snowy
Owls by those unfamiliar with our resident owls. Snowy Owls are 
primarily
diurnal (or active near dusk on sunny days) and are generally found in 
large
fields, beaches, or shorelines. They often perch in the open on the 
ground
or on posts or telephone poles but rarely in trees.

A report of a pale owl flying near a road after dark is almost certainly 
a
Barn Owl. In fact many will probably remember that in heavy snow years 
large
numbers of Barn Owls are killed along highways from vehicle collisions. 
The
way this winter is shaping up that seems a distinct possibility.

I believe Snowy Owls are quite rare in Idaho south of the Palouse 
region.
Maybe Shirley can provide a list of records for the past 10 years or so?
Another challenge is the large area and small number of birders in the 
state
so it may be a needle in a haystack proposition to find a Snowy Owl.
Nevertheless it is certainly worth looking in likely areas if there are 
a
lot around and they move south. I would keep an eye on birding lists in 
the
region (see http://www.birdingonthe.net/birdmail.html) to get an idea of 
how
extensive and what area the current invasion might involve.

thanks, Charles.


************************************
Charles Swift
charless@uidaho.edu
Moscow, Idaho
************************************

 



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