A significant number of migrating owls have kept researchers at the Mugaha Marsh Banding Station busy as they travel through northern B.C. in unusually high quantities. Jeannine Randall, a bird biologist at the Mackenzie Nature Observatory, located approximately 200 kilometers north of Prince George, expressed excitement over the exceptional owl activity this year. The station typically captures around 100 owls, but this season they have already caught 266, with two weeks remaining, marking a record-breaking year.
The spike in owl numbers has resulted in a shortage of the specific tracking bands required to monitor the birds effectively. According to Randall, the station faced a scarcity of larger-sized bands, crucial for saw-whet owls, the primary species they study, due to delays in receiving them from the bird banding office.
Despite seeking assistance from other organizations, the station found that the surge in owl populations was widespread, leading to shortages at numerous stations. Randall attributes the increase in owl numbers to the abundance of small rodents this year, which serve as the primary prey for the owls.
While the surge in owl populations at Mackenzie is promising, Rémi Torrenta, a biologist at Birds Canada, highlighted a concerning trend of declining owl populations in the province over the past 25 years. He mentioned that while some owl species, like barred owls, are stable or increasing, most species, including northern saw-whet owls, have been on a decline.
Torrenta explained that the current influx of owls is likely part of a documented four-year cycle where owl populations peak and then decline due to a subsequent decrease in the rodent population. To monitor these trends, Birds Canada coordinates the Nocturnal Owl Survey, a citizen science program that relies on volunteers nationwide to track owl numbers each spring.
Randall emphasized the importance of the Mackenzie Nature Observatory banding project in contributing essential data for monitoring owl populations and migration patterns. The recent recapture of an owl originally banded in Victoria in 2024 provided valuable insights into the species’ travel behaviors, highlighting the significance of ongoing research for species management decisions and understanding.