The Prairie Owl
Palouse Audubon Society
VOLUME 42 ISSUE 4
February-March, 2014
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Ron Force 208-874-3207 [email protected], Vice President: Marie Dymkoski, 509-595-1650 [email protected] Secretary: Diane Weber 509-334-3817 [email protected] Treasurer: Lavon Frazier 509-595-1913 [email protected] Membership: Ron Force Newsletter Editor: Tim Hillebrand 208-310-1341 [email protected] Publicity: Diane Weber Conservation Committee: Mike Costa 509-332-1793 [email protected] Field Trips: Vacant Members at Large Becky Phillips 509-339-6277 [email protected] Paul Schroeder 509-334-2470 [email protected] Kerry Littlefield 425-583-6287 [email protected] James Storms 509-635-1272 [email protected]
EVENT CALENDAR February 14-17: Great Backyard Bird Count February 19: Climate and Fire Shaping Evolution in Australian Fairy Wrens (Douglas Barron) March 19: Feathered Architects: Birds and Their Nests (Idie Ulsh) April 22, 24, 29, May 3: Begin-ning Birding Class April 1-June 30: Photo Contest Submissions April 26, May 3: Bird class field trips April 16: Some Interesting Birds of Australia (Paul Schroeder)
September: Photo winners announced
BIRD OF THE MONTH:
Northern Hawk Owl
By Paul Schroeder
We on the Palouse have recently become
much more aware of the Northern Hawk Owl
(see accompanying article). Since they are so
infrequent in the Palouse area, I thought a
short briefing about the species might be ap-
propriate. This owl is truly northern. The
range shown for it in Sibley’s Western Bird
Guide indicates that just about all appear-
ances in the U.S. (except Alaska) are spo-
radic and infrequent. The bird’s main range
is in Canada, extending quite far north…a
cold weather bird! Several sources I have con-
sulted consider this bird to be the least-
studied species in North America, primarily
because of the inaccessibility of its preferred
habitat, which consists of forest edges near
meadows, clearings, or old burns in which the
meadow-dwelling voles occur.
The Moscow bird was frequently observed
feeding on small rodents, which most proba-
bly were voles, which are common on the Pa-
louse.
The hawk owl also occurs in Europe and
Asia, with three subspecies altogether; in the
Palearctic, they extend from northern Scandi-
navia to North Korea. (They have been illus-
trated on stamps of Kazakhstan, North Ko-
rea, Belarus and the Ukraine.) Studies in
both Scandinavia and North America indicate
that the species feeds primarily on voles
(species of Microtus) in western North
The Owl that Came
for Christmas
By Diane Weber
On January 16 the Northern Hawk-Owl
that delighted hundreds of birders since
early December was apparently hit by a
vehicle as it hunted along Mountain View
Road. It was captured by Terry Gray and
taken to the Raptor Rehab Center at the
WSU Vet School, where it died several
hours later. During its stay, the hawk-owl
tolerated a multitude of visitors and--to the
relief of many--cooperated by staying for the
Moscow-Pullman Christmas Bird Count.
While the hawk-owl was in Moscow, local
birders assisted the birding community with
updates on its preferred hunting sites, fa-
vored perching spots, and behavioral de-
tails. However, no one did more than Terry
Gray. Terry checked on its location daily,
posted updates and photographs on Inland-
NW-Birders and Facebook, and visited with
birders from around the United States who
travelled to Moscow to see the bird. Terry’s
connection with the hawk-owl was so well-
known that he was the one who was called
when someone found it lying in the road. On
behalf of the entire local birding community,
Palouse Audubon Society says “Thank you,
Terry” for representing all of us so well.
Hawk Owl photos courtesy of Terry Gray
From the Prez
VOLUME 42 ISSUE 4 THE PRAIRIE OWL PAGE 2
Northern Hawk Owl continued
See the results of the Christmas Bird Count on our
Website at www.palouseaudubon.org
.
America, although they have been re-
ported to feed on juvenile snowshoe
hares in Denali National Park in
Alaska, and other types of rodents in
eastern North America and Scandina-
via. The birds are migratory within
their habitat, and use burned areas
until they start to recover. One study
estimated that the number of nests
peaked at 2 years after the burn and
returned to zero after eight years.
These authors estimated that at 2
years there were three nests per 100
square kilometers! They are thought to
appear south of the Canadian border
primarily due to changes in popula-
tions of their preferred prey, which also
causes migrations of other owls, nota-
bly, in our area, Snowy Owls, and else-
where, Boreal Owls. A number of spe-
cies of small rodents (and, famously,
the snowshoe hares) undergo distinct
population cycles. These cycles are not
synchronous, so that a good year for
one species might correspond to a poor
one for another, or, several species
might crash at once. The causes of
these cycles have been thought to be
related to population cycles in the ro-
dent predators, but the owls have been
found to respond to the rodent declines
too quickly to be considered their
cause. These questions are still being
debated in ornithological journals.
These factors make their appearances
south of the Canadian border irregular,
and although their population density
in their northern habitat is unknown,
it is probably lower than that of the
Snowy Owls, the irruptions of which,
though also irregular, are more fre-
quent in our area. Wikipedia has a
good article on the species, along with
a list of sources for more information.
Ron Force
Normal range of the Northern Hawk
Owl.
I've been traveling in Vietnam and
Cambodia, where the streets are
filled with bird song. The Vietnam-
ese love birds. They love them so
much, they catch and keep wild
birds in cages. Their balconies and
markets ate festooned with cages
filled with Red-Whiskered Bulbuls,
Doves, and White-Eyes all singing
their hearts out. I saw more birds
in cages than in the wild, for obvi-
ous reasons. The story of the Hawk
Owl reminds us what it means to
be free, even with the risk of death.
Editor’s Note: Ron flew helicopters
for the U.S. Army in the Viet Nam
War.
PAGE 3 THE PRAIRIE OWL VOLUME 42 ISSUE 4
Whoo Gives a Hoot? by Tim Hillebrand
Now that we have had the pleasure of a visit by the ex-
otic Northern Hawk Owl, what other hooters might we
expect to see in our area? Probably the most well known
and most seen species is the Great Horned Owl. I can
hear them hooting in the trees in my yard at night. Less
common, but about the same size, is the Long Eared
Owl, which is sometimes confused with the Great
Horned Owl for they are somewhat similar.
Barn Owls are not uncommon in the region. I have
caught them bathing in my pond on occasion. If you are
lucky you might get a glimpse of a Barred Owl in Idaho.
But you are not likely to see a Boreal Owl.
Another visitor from the far northern reaches is the
Snowy Owl. In the summer you might be lucky enough
to see Burrowing Owls.
Keep a look out for the small Flammulated Owl in the
summer too. Another big owl you might see is the Great
Gray Owl.
The diminutive Northern Pygmy Owl can be seen year
round. Another little guy is the Northern Saw-whet
Owl that is also here year round.
In contrast to the Long Earred Owl, you might also
catch a glimpse of a Short Earred Owl (also known as
Prairie Owl), but usually just in the summer. Keep an
ear out for the Western Screech Owl year round.
How’s that for an owl roundup? We actually have quite
a nice inventory of owls in our neck of the woods. How
many of these owls have you seen though? I certainly
haven’t seen them all, but I’d like to add more to my
list. Maybe we should organize some owling trips in the
future. The problem is that these creatures are largely
nocturnal, which makes them difficult to find and see.
So, it’s good that they give a hoot.
Great Horned Owl Long Eared Owl
Barn Owl Barred Owl
Snowy Owl Burrowing Owl
Flammulated Owl Great Grey Owl
Northern Pygmy Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl
Short Eared Owl Western Screech Owl
PAGE 4 VOLUME 42 ISSUE 4
Othello Sandhill Crane Festival
THE PRAIRIE OWL
The Othello Sandhill Crane Festival will be held this
year on March 28-30. The festival includes tours for
crane viewing and specialty tours: burrowing owl,
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, Missoula Floods,
and more. Pre-registration is recommended as most
tours fill quickly. The festival fee includes admission
to lectures at the Othello High School and the educa-
tional displays and vendor exhibits in the high school
gym on Saturday. The banquet on Saturday evening
features invited speakers. Check the festival website
at http://www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org/
index.php for more details. As of the end of January,
the festival brochure with details on speakers, tours,
and registration information has not been posted. If
you are interested in attending the festival this year,
check the website frequently for updates.
Get the New Merlin Bird ID App
The Cornell University Laboratory of
Ornithology has just issued a new,
free bird ID app for IOS devices. It
will be available for Android in the
Spring of 2014. It’s a simple step by
step (5 steps) bird ID wizard. Here’s a
video about how it works:
http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org. Merlin
draws upon more than 70 million ob-
servations from the eBird citizen-
science project. It customizes your list
to the species you are most likely to
have seen at your location and time of
year.
February 14-17, 2014
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
Are you ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count
(GBBC)? This is an annual 4-day event that engages
bird counters of all ages to create a real-time snapshot
of where birds are this time of year. As the GBBC cele-
brates its 17th year, it continues to attract participants
from around the world. Anyone, anywhere is welcome
to participate in this educational activity that is free,
fun, and helps your local birds.
The GBBC is a great way to learn more about the
birds in your community and connect with nature, and
it is perfect for fledgling birders. You count birds any-
time or anywhere during the four days, tally the high-
est number of birds of each species seen together at
any one time, and report the counts on-line at the
GBBC website. As the count progresses, anyone with
Internet access can explore what is being reported
from around the world. The website is loaded with
information to help participants and to inform birders
in general. Be sure to visit it and explore the wealth of
information there. You can even print a tally sheet
with a list of birds for your city or town or zip code
[http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/checklist]. Local
reports, photos, questions, and comments can also be
posted on the PAS Facebook page.
Great Backyard Bird Count
I am happy to report
that the Bald Eagles fi-
nally arrived in Lake
Coeur d’Alene. The day
after Christmas, my son
and I ventured up there
not knowing what to expect. We were well re-
warded. There were eagles soaring overhead, there
were eagles in the trees that looked like Christmas
tree ornaments, there were eagles diving for fish. It
was a real spectacle. The cruise boat from the Coeur
d’Alene Resort was there too. I am not certain how
many birds we saw, but it must have been at least a
couple of hundred.
The Eagle Has Landed by Tim Hillebrand
PAGE 5
THE PRAIRIE OWL VOLUME 42 ISSUE 4
MEMBERSHIP
Palouse Audubon Society (PAS), PO Box 3606, Moscow ID
83843-1914, is a chapter of the National Audubon Society (NAS)
with its own dues. New NAS members in our chapter area receive
one year’s free membership in PAS, along with the chapter news-
letter and other benefits of membership.
PAS dues of $15 are payable in September. Members may re-
ceive the chapter newsletter, The Prairie Owl, either by mail or
by email notification of its posting on the chapter’s website. Mem-
bers are encouraged to read the newsletter online to save printing
and postage expenses. PAS members who have not renewed and
NAS members who have not paid dues after one year of member-
ship are removed from the newsletter distribution list on Decem-
ber 31st.
General membership meetings are held at the 1912 Building,
FISKE ROOM, 3rd and Adams St, Moscow ID, at 7:30 p.m. on the
third Wednesday of each month, September through May. The
board of directors meets at the 1912 Center at 7:30 p.m. on the
first Tuesday of each month.
The Prairie Owl is published every other month, August
through April. Material for the Owl should be sent to the editor,
Tim Hillebrand, 857 Orchard Ave., Moscow ID 83843, 805-518-
9612, [email protected] by the 20th of the month. Subscription
problems should be addressed to the membership chair, Ron
Force, PO Box 3606, Moscow ID 83843-1914, 208-874-3207, ron-
[email protected]. Visit the Palouse Audubon Society website at
http://www.palouseaudubon.org/ or find us on Facebook.
MEET THE BOARD
Mike Costa Conservation Chair
Wingtips
Collective nouns for owls include bazaar, glaring,
parliament, stooping and wisdom.
Our Northern Hawk Owl was a boy reports Dr. Kelly
Cassidy, Curator, Conner Museum. He weighed a hefty
361 g. His last meal was a vole. He had no broken bones.
He has been prepared as a study skin and will not be
displayed. Why? I think this is a shame and wish it
could be reversed. What think you?
Editor
I work at WSU as a molecular
biologist and my research
involves the regulation of
plant gene expression. A na-
tive of Quincy, Massachu-
setts, I came to WSU over 30
years ago and, soon after ar-
riving, was greeted by the
eruption of Mt. St. Helens in
1980. I have always been
drawn to nature and conser-
vation. Growing up in a sub-
urb of Boston, I got my hands
on anything and everything
that was a part of nature, from birds to butterflies to
bees and pollywogs and sea shells – you name it! When
I first came to the Palouse and heard the ring necked
pheasant’s metallic chortling sound, I was mesmerized.
I was amazed to realize that sound came from a bird! I
was even more so enchanted when I heard the strange
sounds of the California quail.
When I attended the local PAS gatherings, I wanted to
be involved in a more meaningful manner, within my
interests, than to just participate casually. I noticed
the unfilled post of “Conservation Chair” in the PAS
newsletter and thought “that’s my niche”. I approached
the then PAS president Tom Weber with my interests
and he invited me to participate in the board meetings.
Soon I was appointed to the post of conservation chair
and little did I know what awaited me. The first project
that Tom challenged me with was a proposal for a Fer-
ruginous Hawk nesting platform.
I feel that conservation is the main way that I can help
others become more aware of the fragility of our natural
surroundings. I have to admit that there is a lot more
to the conservation scenario than I had anticipated,
including issues dealing with wind turbines, sagebrush
shrub-steppe ecology, wetlands, and more. Dealing
with these grand-scale conservation concerns is some-
times overwhelming for me to fathom. I would appreci-
ate any suggestions, comments, or feedback concerning
conservation issues that we should be emphasizing
from a local perspective.
My favorite bird is the Northern cardinal, with the
male sporting vibrant red plumage, a black mask, and
red head crest sticking up. Although there are no car-
dinals in this region, I look forward to watching them
whenever I visit home back East. Locally, I enjoy the
antics of the many Red-breasted nuthatches that visit my
feeders.
The Cardinal is Mike’s favorite
bird. Too bad we don’t have any
around here.
Wingtips
Collective nouns for Owls:
Primary Business Address
Your Address Line 2
Your Address Line 3
Your Address Line 4
PALOUSE AUDUBON SOCIETY
.
We’re on the Web:
www.palouseaudubon.org
and on Facebook
PALOUSE AUDUBON SOCIETY
Get to know our local Owls
Give a Hoot. Go Owling.
Palouse Audubon Society
PO Box 3606
Moscow ID 83843-1914
The mission of the Palouse Audubon
Society is to promote education,
conservation, and the restoration of
natural ecosystems--focusing on
birds, other wildlife, and their
habitats--for the benefit of humanity
and the Earth's biological diversity
Palouse Audubon’s popular Beginning Bird-
ing Class will be offered again this spring.
Class sessions will held in the 1912 Center,
Moscow, from 7:30 to 9:00pm, on April 22, 24,
29, and May 1, with morning field trips on
April 26 and May 3.The class will be taught
by local birding expert Kevin Pullen and is
designed for adults of all ages who want to
learn how to identify birds or how to bird bet-
ter. This session will highlight spring mi-
grants, and you will learn how to identify a
variety of birds in migration: warblers, spar-
rows, thrushes, hawks, and others. A dona-
tion of $50 ($40 for Palouse Audubon mem-
bers) is requested. Class size is limited and
registration before the first class session is
required. For more information, or to register
for the class, contact Diane Weber at cat-
[email protected] or 509-334-3817.
Beginning Birding Class Nominations for Palouse Audubon Chapter Officers
Palouse Audubon is now accepting nominations for
chapter Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Election of officers will take place at the program
meeting in February, where nominations will also be
accepted from the floor. If you are interested in serv-
ing in one of these positions, please contact Marie
Dymkoski ([email protected], or 509-595-
1650). More information can be found in the chapter
Bylaws posted on the Palouse Audubon Society web-
site, www.palouseaudubon.org, at the link “About Us,
Mission”.
PAS Photo Contest
You are invited to enter your best bird and nature
photos in our first annual, amateur PAS Photo con-
test. Submissions will be accepted from April 1 to
June 30, 2014. The winners will be announced at the
September PAS program meeting. Prizes will be
awarded for first and second place winners in each
category. For details, please visit our website:
www.palouseaudubon.org.