Subject: Dead Owls
Date: Mar 21 01:02:11 1994
From: Ted Becker - tbecker at isumataq.eskimo.com

I have heard from two different sources that the Snowy Owls that winter in
the Puget Sound region are essentially dead birds. Having come this far
south they have too far to go to get back to their summer habitat it time.

This makes absolutely no sense to me. I can understand that they may not
get back in time to breed but what would cause their death? Do they not feed
enroute? Is there some other factor? Is there real evidence of this
mortality or is it speculation? Is not mating fatal? I know that human
males try to convince human females that not mating is harmfull, is it true
of Snowy Owls?