Photo by BarrytheBirder
Pictured above is a Barred Owl, not a Snowy Owl. Let me explain. I was reading about the declining number of Snowy Owls in North America, on a Cornell Lab of Ornithology website and there was a list of causes for Snowy owls deaths. It listed a number of causes such as shootings, hit by motor vehicles, found dead on highways, collisions with towers or wires, caught in traps not intended for birds, hit by aircraft, and 'ENTANGLED'. Yes, owls can become entangled in tree branches or vines, etc. The number is small and a mere percentage of the total number of deaths. But I was instantly reminded of the Barred Owl pictured above. I spotted in on the 16th Sideroad of King Township near the Pine Orchard Cafe. When I first saw it, it was ensnared in the branches of a small tree. I watched it for several minutes and finally it extricated itself. It had never occurred to me that such an encounter could cost a bird its life.
Please comment if you wish.
BarrytheBirder
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