Snowy Owls: A Current Saga
 
by Bob Kendall
    

This fall we have had a good news/bad news story of Snowy Owls. Good news, these magnificent birds have afforded many people a chance to add to their life lists; bad news, the owls have been driven south by starvation. In their journey they not only lived on their own fat, they consumed their muscle as well. Beneath all that extraordinary plumage is a body desperate for food.

They arrive here, beautiful but stressed beyond belief. Most of those we see take up in shopping centers to feed on the pigeons, gulls, and rodents there. We can speculate that they are attracted to the lighting which provides them with a little midnight sun - just like the world should be.

However, the human-free hours which are best for hunting are short and their need for food is critical. This year, three were brought to the Hudson Valley Raptor Center in dire straits. The first came from Westchester and journeyed to us via a veterinarian who does so much for the center. The bird was on intravenous feeding when we got him, but it was too late, far too late. He was almost literally as thin as a rail and endured for only two more days.

The second was from the mall in Kingston and it arrived in only slightly better shape. I did not realize that people had been seeing two Snowies, but the person that captured him and brought him to us was criticized for taking it from its mate. However he was easy to catch and that is never a good sign. Moreover, the winter visitors are almost exclusively immature males; they lack a territory in the tundra and their hunting skills are untested. In bad lemming/vole years they are forced to range far from their original nest sites. The young lady Snowies seem to find a sugar daddy to care for them. This one may have been taken from his brother but he was not taken from a mate. Alas, it was too late for him also. Our record of saving Snowies was depressing.

Still one Snowy remained at Kingston, but when he, too, showed signs of weakness people acted more quickly and he was brought in. He was so desperately hungry that he would eat immediately, showing no caution, and taking no time out for fear. He quickly took to live food.

Now, after nearly three weeks at the HVRC he is apparently back to health. He is quite active and vigorous. Now he can afford to show his fear of people and he can wait for them to leave before he feeds. He is, in short, off our endangered Snowy list and awaits release. In the meantime he has reminded all of us just what the Raptor Center is for.

Wings Over Dutchess, January 2002

 

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