Great Gray Owls Residents as well as Visitors

by Kevin Strauss

The irruption of great gray, boreal and hawk owls into northern Minnesota from Canada had led some to conclude that these owls don't reside in northern Minnesota. While the northern Minnesota lakes region is on the southern edge of great gray owl range, we do have resident great grays here year-round. We also are home to the less common boreal and hawk owls. But with hundreds of owls moving south this winter in search of food, these northern owls are much more prominent than their natural population would suggest.

Great Gray Owls

Great Gray Owls are the largest of our northern owls. At 27-inches tall, the great gray dwarfs the 22-inch tall Great Horned Owl. Great grays hunt during the day from a low perch. It can break through up to 18-inches of snow to reach mice and voles below the surface. Because this owl spends much of time in dense conifers, may be overlooked.

These owls are uncommon to rare in our region, but have been found down to Aitkin County. Scientists theorize that great grays have come south from Canada because of the rarity of rodents in their home territory. But this owl is showing a great deal of prey flexibility, hunting gray squirrels, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hare and even Northern Hawk Owls. This owl seems to change its diet to suit its situation and like all predators, it is to some extent an opportunist.

While hundreds of great grays have been hit by cars while hunting, starvation doesn't seem to be a problem for these birds. Killed birds seem to have good fat reserves.

Boreal Owls

The story is very different for our native and visiting Boreal Owls. Over 100 of these smaller owls have been found starved to death on the north shore of Lake Superior. Department of Natural Resources Scientific and Natural Area Specialist Steve Wilson theorizes that at just 1/4 pound, this owl is too small to plunge into the snow and catch rodents hiding there.

Hawk Owls

Hawk Owls are the rarest of the three owl species in the northwoods. Ornithologists have found a handful of their nests in the arrowhead region. As a group, Hawk Owls don't seem to be starving and have few car collisions.

While hearing about 500 dead Great Gray Owls sounds like a lot of birds, according to Wilson, it is at most 10 percent of the great gray population in northern Minnesota and more likely is just 2-3 percent of the population.

If you want to help owls in your area, you can shovel out underneath your birdfeeders so visiting rodents have to come into the open to feed. That way they will be easier prey for owls. If you see stressed, starving or dead owls in your yard, call the DNR at 218-753-2580 (x.270).