There are some really cool birds in the world, but perhaps none are as beloved as a snowy owl. Aided by the fame of Harry Potter, snowy owls are one of the most recognizable and charismatic species around. In Maine, we see them only as winter visitors and some years they are completely absent. As we approach the season of their arrival, I wanted to get an early reminder out to would-be owl-watchers and encourage good ethical behavior around these arctic visitors.

Most of the snowy owls we see in Maine are young birds likely looking for areas where there is less competition in the winter. Adults nesting throughout the summer will lay more or less eggs based on the local abundance of food, primarily made up of lemmings and voles. In years with high reproductive success, you could start with a pair of snowy owls in a territory, see them fledge up to eight chicks (clutch sizes range from three to 11 eggs), and then go from two to 10 birds competing for food in the same area. The inexperienced youth are often pushed off their parents’ or other adults’ territories, and so will journey south looking for food. 

Lemming populations are cyclical, and the years when they are in high abundance are the years when snowy owls will have more chicks. Male snowy owls make food deliveries to females on the nest, and the amount of food he brings in signals to the female how many eggs she should lay. The result is that snowy owl reproductive success matches up with the lemming cycle, and so in some years, we see huge numbers of snowy owls come south. This is known as an irruption (different from an eruption), when a species that typically migrates from point A (breeding grounds) to point B (wintering grounds) but might not have enough resources (typically food) in one place needs to temporarily move to point C (in this case, Maine) to survive. Most birds will return to their usual movement of point A to point B after an irruptive year. 

In the winters when we do see snowy owls, we tend to see them in December, and they stay through March. In irruptive years, they often arrive earlier, as they did in the largest irruption on record, the winter of 2013-14, when hundreds of snowy owls descended upon Maine. That year, we had reports of more than a dozen snowys in Maine by the end of November, and since we’ve already had a couple reported in Maine this month, this might be an early sign of many more to come.

As exciting as it is, I do worry a bit because of the attention that these owls attract. Owls in general appeal to even the least-nature-loving individuals because of the birds’ secretive nature (generally being nocturnal). I’ve also heard people claim that owls’ forward-facing eyes give them a human-like appearance that people are naturally attracted to. This appeal, plus the way that owls can seem very approachable, leads to excessive harassment, and we see evidence of it on social media every year. Snowys seem approachable because they will often sit still even as people approach, but this is because their main defense is camouflage, so they probably think that if they sit still, they won’t be harmed. Unfortunately, many people, even those equipped with long telephoto lenses, can’t resist approaching closer than they should and often flush the resting birds. For birds that are trying to conserve energy, these repeated flushings can become deadly if the bird is forced to keep wasting energy to get away from its gawkers. 

I do think people should take the opportunity to see one of the amazing birds; it can literally be a life-changing experience, but please do it respectfully. Only get as close as you need to. You may actually have a better chance of getting to see one hunt if you are far enough away to not disturb any prey items. There are no set “rules” on how close is too close, but my typical recommendation is that if the bird looks at you, you are too close and should move back. Ideally, you should be able to watch the bird without changing its behavior, and that includes getting its attention.

The two reported so far have been in York County on Nov. 12 and in Kennebec County on Nov. 13, so you should keep your eyes open along coastal sites and even inland, especially around agricultural fields. Reporting sightings to eBird is a great way to help us keep track of this (potential) irruption, but always consider the bird’s well-being first and foremost. You can still report the bird weeks after the fact, and save that social media post if you think it might attract unwanted paparazzi. Good luck in your searches.

Have you got a nature or wildlife question of your own? It doesn’t have to be about birds! Email questions to [email protected] and visitwww.maineaudubon.org to learn more about birding, native plants, and programs and events focusing on Maine wildlife and habitat. Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox and other naturalists lead free bird walks on Thursday mornings starting at 7 am, at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm Audubon Sanctuary in Falmouth. 

NOTE: No walk on Thanksgiving, and in December the walk start time changes to 8 am.