[Maine-birds] Snowy Owl incursion- why

A simple explanation for those of us simple minded birders, from an expert back home in central NY state:

"We have at least 4, and maybe 5, Snowy Owls at Hancock Airport (Syracuse) and a few others have been seen in the area as well. There's a 4-5 year cycle that is based on the lemming population. Lots of lemmings means lots of Snowy owlets are born, fledge and survive. When the lemmings crash the owls move south to find food. Many owls die but enough survive to allow the Snowy Owl to maintain a healthy population. It's nature's way of balancing populations (and fewer owls may help the lemming population to explode again in another few years)."

Of course I knew most of this, but not that too many lemmings one year means too many owls, and some are bound to die. Just the facts of nature, I guess. It does seem like there are a lot more than the "usual" incursion, though. I've never knew of 4-5 at the Syracuse airport. We know that a large percentage of birds born each year do not live. Enjoy the ones we see.

Thanks to my mentor.

Barbara

~~

Barbara Partridge Herrgesell
Sanford, ME

herpartb@aol.com

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