Joy and concern as snowy owls arrive in Vancouver
Arctic raptors appearing in Vancouver a bird watchers’ delight, but a worry for experts puzzled by their unusual arrival in large numbers
Snowy owls, a symbol of the Arctic tundra, are flocking to the outskirts of temperate Vancouver, thrilling birdwatchers with their rare presence but worrying bird welfare experts.
More than two dozen of the magnificent white raptors have taken up residence on the foreshore of Boundary Bay, just south of the west Canadian city. The birds, listed as a threatened species in Canada since 1975, have attracted scores of birdwatchers who gather daily along a dyke at the edge of the foreshore.
The owls perch listlessly on logs and ground debris, alone or huddled in small groups, as photographers armed with long lenses snap away. Signs posted by the British Columbia Environment Department warn watchers not to get too close as the owls "need all their calories to survive winter".
It is the second winter in a row that Vancouver has been treated to a visit from snowy owls. But that is raising concern among experts who say the owls should normally only visit Vancouver every five or so years, a phenomenon linked to the population cycles of lemmings, a typical prey species, in the Arctic.
Rob Hope, the head bird care supervisor at the Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL), said their presence so far south was "more than likely to do with food or weather". Some snowy owls have recently ventured further afield, with sightings in the US state of Oregon, Hope said.
While their numbers have delighted many, their condition has been poor. Although it is disguised by their dense white feathers, some of the birds are badly emaciated.