Why are Snowy Owls Spreading South?

At least 2,500 snowy owls were spotted this year in 25 states and seven Canadian provinces during the 2014 Great Backyard Bird Count, which was discussed in a recent Associated Press article. The birds were spotted in multiple Connecticut locations, including Hammonasset Beach State Park and Avery Point.

Photo credit: Bill Asteriades, 2014 Great

BackyardBird Count

Snowy owls are Arctic-dwelling birds, which makes their presence in so many states and provinces unusual. According to the article, snowy owls are traveling farther south because of a (1) population boom and (2) decrease in their preferred food, lemmings, in the Arctic tundra.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual event where volunteers electronically report wild bird observations seen over a four-day period. The purpose of the bird count is to (1) engage the public in nature study and (2) help scientific research. The count creates an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of wild birds throughout the world.

The AP article reported that this year’s bird count participants are from 127 countries, but most are from the United States and Canada. Some of the most prevalent species reported during the 2014 count were snow geese, Canada geese, European starlings, mallard ducks, and red-winged blackbirds.