Irruption 2.0 - For 2nd Year, Snowy Owls Descend On Ontario In Unusually Large Numbers - CBC
Snowy owls have flocked to Ontario in huge, rare numbers for the second consecutive year, creating a boon for bird watching and a bane for airport managers. Last year marked the largest invasion of snowy owls ever recorded in eastern Ontario, and similar numbers are expected this year.
In southern Ontario, Staff at Windsor International Airport expect to trap, band and release 35 snowy owls this winter. That's about the same number as last year. At least a dozen snowy owls showed up in the month of December alone, airport manager Phil Roberts said. "At the very end of December, we've had four to five [banded] in the course of a couple days and still two to three birds that are loafing around," Roberts said.
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There are several theories as to why the birds are venturing further south, ranging from climate change to dwindling lemming populations, which is the bird's prey. "Why they come out of the Arctic and why we have these epidemic years is a bit of a mystery," Roberts said. "Typically, with an epidemic year, you see the epidemic year, then you don't see that big invasion for 10 to 15 years. It looks like we're dealing with this two years in a row."
The snowy owl has also returned to the Ottawa area with at least 50 owls spotted so far. Snowy owls have been spotted near Kanata, Barrhaven and Manotick. Bird columnist Bruce Di Labio said this year’s first sighting in the Ottawa region was Nov. 10, several weeks earlier than last year.
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/snowy-owl-epidemic-sweeps-across-ontario-1.2885513
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