Owls come in for landing in Wisconsin

We all know the Superman saying: “It’s a bird! It’s a plane!” But if you’re at the Richard I. Bong Memorial Airport in Superior, it very likely is a bird — a snowy owl in particular.

After two winters with low numbers, snowy owl sightings have increased in Wisconsin this season, delighting birders and nature enthusiasts seeking a glimpse of these striking Arctic visitors.

During a typical winter, many snowy owls remain close to their breeding areas while others head south into southern Canada and the northern U.S., according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. A sighting near Wausau was among the first to be reported this winter, though dozens more have now been documented.

Bird enthusiast Richard Hoeg documents his findings on his website, 365 Days of Birds. He says the greater Twin Ports area is just one part of Wisconsin experiencing a proliferation — called an irruption — of the raptors, who have descended on Superior’s general aviation airport as a favorite hunting ground.

“It’s not a major airport, so the snowy owls don’t have to be trapped and relocated” to be kept clear of jet engines, Hoeg told WPR’s “Morning Edition” host Robin Washington. “I’ve talked to a lot of small plane pilots who enjoy seeing the snowy owls.”

With their brilliant white feathers and commanding presence, snowy owls are among the most unique raptors to visit the region. Unlike most owls, which are nocturnal, snowy owls are active during the day, making them more visible to the public. But their presence in urban settings, including airports, highways and farm fields, often raises questions about why they appear in such unexpected places.

Marge Gibson is co-founder and director of the Raptor Education Group Inc. in Antigo. She encourages people to observe from a respectful distance, particularly photographers who may be tempted to get too close.

“If you’re too close, you’re disturbing them,” Gibson also told WPR’s “Morning Edition,” speaking to Shereen Siewert. “Not only that, but you’re frightening the prey base as well. So try to leave them alone as they’re out hunting during the day. They’re doing exactly what they should be doing.”

For those lucky enough to spot a snowy owl this winter, Gibson said the best approach is to enjoy the rare sighting from afar and allow these birds to continue their journey undisturbed.

The following interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity.  

WPR: Why do we see more snowy owls some years as compared to others? 

Marge Gibson: The years when we have a lot are called “irruptions,” and basically what happens is the owls follow the food base down to our area. In other words, when they have fewer of their natural food they travel south and try to take advantage of the mice and rats here.

Richard Hoeg: They’re coming from the Arctic. They tend to migrate down along Hudson Bay, and on about Dec. 15, they arrive in the Northland.

The reason they like the Superior area and specifically the Bong airport is that in the Arctic, there aren’t any trees around. So when they’re migrating over the Canadian and Minnesota and Wisconsin boreal forests, they’re not very good at hunting from trees. Then they get to the Superior area and suddenly there’s this wide expanse of open land: the airport. 

WPR: Snowy owls are so beautiful. What are some of their unique characteristics? 

MG: They’re really amazing. Seeing them is always a real emotional experience for birders in our area. Frankly they should be because they are really unique, even to the owl world.

There is so much to know about them and appreciating them only gets better as you learn more. They’re incredible birds. Their colors are interesting too. Males are pure white when they’re adults, while females have brown stripes on them. Youngsters are black and white and don’t get to their adult color for a couple of years. Females are larger than males by about a third.  

WPR: When snowy owls show up in Wisconsin, they sometimes appear in unusual places like airports and highways and urban areas. Why does this happen? 

MG: They certainly do, and I think it confuses people a bit when they see that and wonder, why are they in the city or at the airport? The fact is, they’re hatched in the land of the midnight sun, in the tundra, where all summer long it is light, even at night.

When they migrate down to follow the prey base, they’re suddenly faced with darkness for the first time in their lives. Youngsters don’t migrate with their parents; they migrate individually and when they’re suddenly here it’s really dark. They try to find places with light, like yard lights or farms, airports, even cars going down the road. That gives them a bit of comfort. 

WPR: What do you recommend people do if they spot a snowy owl in an unexpected or potentially dangerous location for them? 

MG: Initially people want to take them if they find them during the day because they believe an owl shouldn’t be out during the day, but snowy owls do hunt in the daytime. Light is very normal for them to be out, and they are hunting. If you see one close to the road, do slow down because they are trying to figure things out, especially early in the winter.

Don’t approach them — because they are fine, they aren’t injured and they’re just trying to get by. They’re suddenly amongst people and cars and other obstacles, and they’re learning.

Especially photographers should be aware and give them space and avoid approaching them. Remember, they’ve never seen people before, especially the youngsters, so they’re sort of big-eyed about it and have to be wondering what these objects are walking toward them.

They’re adjusting, and we need to appreciate what they are and what they’re here for, and the fact that they are here is just amazing. Get some nice photos when you can but don’t push it.  

WPR: With climate change impacting Arctic habitats, do you foresee any long-term shifts in snowy owl populations or migration patterns? 

MG: We’ve already seen some changes in migration patterns as the Arctic begins to show stress. However, their habitat is so unusual and wide open with few trees, so they would have to adapt to new areas. Birds are really incredible, and migration is one of the most fascinating aspects.

We think they’re so little with tiny little brains, but boy, those brains are packed. They mate for life. They’re excellent parents and they recognize their offspring year after year. They don’t inbreed, either, and that’s how they manage to keep their species so strong. I’m kind of biased, but I’m amazed by all of them. 

WPR: The irruption in Superior includes the grey owls as well. Tell us the differences between the two.

RH: The irruption is the best in almost 20 years of great grey owls, and also of a smaller owl called a boreal owl.

Both of those are forest birds, so they tend to like hunting at gaps in the forest.

The great grey and the snowy owl often eat the same prey, but a great grey actually hunts using trigonometry — its ears are offset on its head and it can hear a mouse running eight to 10 inches under the snow, then it plunges down into the snow, talons first.

The snowy owl hunts by sight, so they don’t tend to compete with the great grey. They hunt for similar prey, but generally not at the same spot.

WPR: Recently, a Duluth, Minnesota, driver hit a snowy owl, which survived. She was able to get it to an animal rescue facility. What should you do if you find one in distress?

RH: First, you want to know what you’re doing. But basically when you capture an owl by hand, come in from behind, because owls’ talons only go forward.

Then, if you wrap them up in a blanket and get them into a box, they calm down and you can bring them into a raptor center.

WPR: There’s a new technical resource for tracking the owls that you’re excited about.

RH: Yes, it’s called Project Snow Storm. They band owls with amazingly light bands that have a tiny solar array and computer chip in them. When the snowy owls go back north, it’s recording them.

Obviously, up in the Arctic, there’s no cell phone coverage. But when the snowy owls migrate back south and the bird comes near a cell tower, all of the data is downloaded.

If you have an idea for Robin in northern Wisconsin, email northern@wpr.org. To contact Shereen in central Wisconsin, email central@wpr.org.