Hi All---

This item was posted on the Maine listserv.  It is info new to me and I 
thought I would pass it along as others might find it of interest.

Good birding----
Georgia McDonald   Towson, Balt Co

Linda D. Scotland wrote:
> Having worked in wildlife rehab at MA Audubon and The Center For 
> Wildlife, I have observed first hand how barred owls shut down during 
> periods of extreme cold.  I always smiled when, during a cold period, 
> a new rehabber called in a panic because their barred owl, kept in an 
> outdoor enclosure, hadn't moved or eaten in a week. This is very 
> common for these owls and others.  They remain very still and conserve 
> all their energy, often for as long as two weeks. I liken it to a kind 
> of hibernation.We would stay away from their enclosure, leave food out 
> in case they changed their minds, and hope that they would come out of 
> it.  They always did.  No matter how many owls you treat, this is 
> still worrisome every time.
>
> This is why I do worry about groups of people going to see rare 
> occurrences this time of year.  I wonder if the owl is exhausted and 
> needs to "shut down" for a period.  I also cringe when I hear about 
> people playing tapes to call owls in during the winter months. Owls 
> are territorial and will come to see who is in their territory if they 
> hear another owl calling. Making an owl fly, when they need to 
> conserve all their energy, is not what I'm about. I love to see owls 
> as much as anyone, probably more(!), but I've also watched owls die 
> from starvation when we haven't gotten to them in time and it's really 
> awful.
>