RESEARCH

Spring/summer 2009:
Details to follow.

Spring/summer 2004/05/06:
MRF is seeking individuals to help locate Short-eared Owl territories in Ontario in spring and summer.  This applies especially to those who own land with suitable habitat (tall grasses, wetland edges), those who are participating in the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, and anyone else who is out birding regularly.

If you locate a potentially active territory, please contact MRF as soon as possible (preferably the same day).  To minimize the risk of disturbance, please do NOT approach a potential nest site to determine whether a nest is present.  If you are interested in searching a large area, please contact MRF for information on priority areas in your region.

Project coordinator Leslie Hunt can be reached at leslie@migrationresearch.org.  Please make note of the date, time, and location of any observations, as well as a brief description of any behaviour observed.  If known, property ownership information would also be very helpful.

For further details on this project, click here.

Winter 2003/04 and 2004/05:
For the winter of 2003/04, MRF collaborated with the Ontario Barn Owl Recovery Program and Bird Studies Canada on a Short-eared Owl Survey.  Southern Ontario supports large concentrations of Short-eared Owls in winter, yet little is known about these populations.  Documenting their occurrence in greater detail is the first step in understanding their significance to the overall population.  This work will continue in the winter of 2004/05.

Casual sightings of Short-eared Owls can be reported as they occur, to Debbie Badzinski.  Be sure to record the date and time of sighting, the number of birds, and the location (as precisely as possible).

In addition, we are looking for volunteers to monitor local owl populations on a regular (weekly) basis throughout the winter to help us assess the dynamics of the overwintering population.  To participate, please contact Debbie Badzinski or Susan Debreceni for further details and for data sheets.

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