Subject: [Tweeters] Dead Long-eared Owl
Date: Feb 12 12:56:07 2015
From: Bud Anderson - falconresearch at gmail.com


The only way to identify an individual owl, as Jamie Acker can well tell
you, is by banding or tagging it in some other fashion.

Unless, of course, it has some sort of unique identifying feather or other
physical feature.

So unless someone did that with the Eide Road birds, there can be no way to
positively know the identity of the reported dead bird.

In addition,and I truly don't mean to be insensitive here, just because it
was found dead in that general area does not mean that it was harassed to
death by birders/photographers. Natural mortality is common and normal
among raptor species, especially at this time of year.

Keep in mind that the two, now famous, Eide birds are unlikely to be the
only LEOWs in that part of Snohomish County.

FYI, this specific dead bird is currently being transferred to Paul De
Bruyn of the WDFW (thanks to Jamie and George) for submittal to the
National Wildlife Health Center to check for HPAI (High Pathological Avian
Influenza).

It also stands to reason that just because it was found dead, that does not
necessarily mean that it died from bird flu either.

To help put things in perspective, another Long-eared Owl was found dead a
month ago on Lopez Island. Cause of death is unknown. It is also being
transferred to Paul at WDFW.

Finally, I'd like to remind everyone how important it is right now to
report any freshly dead bird to the WDFW as soon as you can. Really
important right now.

Bud Anderson
Falcon Research Group
Box 248
Bow, WA 98232
(360) 757-1911
falconresearch at gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20150212/316dccf0/attachment.htm