Rare snowy owl spotted in state for 2nd time in month
a second snowy owl sighting in Connecticut in recent weeks, state experts are asking the public to keep their distance if they are seen.
The Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police said one of its officers was out doing early morning deer hunting enforcement recently when he was redirected to a nearby factory for a report of an injured snowy owl.
“We don’t get this very often,” the agency said of calls about injured snowy owls in Connecticut.
Will Healey, a spokesperson for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said the sighting occurred on private property.
The Environmental Conservation police said snowy owls visit the state in the winter, typically bringing out curious individuals, photographers and birdwatchers who want to catch the rare sighting. The agency said the latest estimates indicate there are likely less than 100,000 snowy owls left globally, with about 28,000 or fewer breeding pairs.
When the officer got to the factory, he saw some feathers from the owl blowing around. Assuming it was injured, the officer gathered equipment to try to capture the snowy owl to bring it to a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
But when the officer got closer to the bird, it flew off the landing to a nearby roof edge. As the officer walked to the area where the owl had been perched, he found the bird was near a recently killed seagull. Environmental Conservation police said the bird had likely been guarding the kill for several hours.
Using binoculars, the officer managed to capture some images of the rare sighting, which were later shared on the agency’s social media.
Earlier in November, there was another snowy owl sighting on a beach in Stratford, that brought out curious onlookers and concerned conservationists.
The snowy owls will migrate south as food becomes scarce and colder weather sets in, DEEP said. The younger birds are typically seen first, since they are less experienced hunters. If the conAfter
ditions get bad enough up north, DEEP said, hundreds of birds will be seen along the Atlantic coast.
In Connecticut, DEEP said, the coastal beaches and marshes are often viewed by the birds as solid alternatives for their natural habitat. DEEP said the birds will also
stop at airports and the occasional mall parking lot if it’s quiet.
The agency said it hopes to remind the public of the importance of giving these winter visitors the space — and quiet — needed to hunt and build up fat reserves.
“Any activities that
cause the owl to change its behavior, even something as simple as causing a disturbance that makes it look right at you, should be avoided,” DEEP said. “Please practice responsible recreation and view this beautiful bird from a distance with binoculars or a telephoto lens only.”