JoAnn et al.

Northern Hawk-Owls behave very differently from most other owls. They
frequently hunt during the day, often from exposed perches. In Minnesota,
where Hawk-Owls are regular but on the southern edge of their range, it is
common to find individual wintering birds on the same exposed perch, day in
and day out, for weeks. The behavior of this individual is not at all
unusual.

It is possible that the bird was in poor condition. That should be easy to
determine if the carcass is retrieved (as should any evidence of gunshot
wounds). Birds that are near starvation have signs that are obvious on
dissection but generally impossible to see through the covering of feathers.

Matt Dufort
Seattle


On Monday, January 11, 2016, JoAnn Andrews <barnowl635 at hotmail.com> wrote:

> What is the possibility of the Owl dyeing of natural causes or perhaps
> exhaustion and starvation Most reports seemed to locate the Owl in the
> same tree on days it was seen. What are the chances of a healthy Owl
> sitting on the same branch of the same tree every day for our viewing
> pleasure. That perhaps the farmer shot at something else or attempted to
> scare it out of the tree to get rid of the birders and the near dead Owl
> simply fell over already dead. How far from it's normal habitat is this Owl?
>
> We are so quick to blame and not be responsible adults when asked not to
> do something, i.e.: trespass, take pictures Life isn't black and white it
> is many shades of gray and how long after you've taken the picture of a
> rare bird will you even remember where you stored it on your computer.
> This time what you will remember is the story you make up about that bird,
> that got away without your picture.
>
>
> JoAnn Andrews
>
> Sequim
>
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