[rec.birds] Snow Owls in my backyard!

mm@pennies.sw.stratus.com (Mike Mahler) (03/01/90)

	We've got a couple of snow owls in my backyard (though I'm
	not really sure WHERE they live).  They've been spotted a few
	times (according to my neighbors) though I've never seen them.

	What can I do to attract them other than increasing the
	mice population?

	Michael

sandra@pyrtech (Sandra Macika) (03/02/90)

In article <825@lectroid.sw.stratus.com> mm@pennies.sw.stratus.com (Mike Mahler) writes:
>
>	We've got a couple of snow owls in my backyard (though I'm
>	not really sure WHERE they live).  They've been spotted a few
>	times (according to my neighbors) though I've never seen them.
>
>	What can I do to attract them other than increasing the
>	mice population?
>
>	Michael

I couldn't tell by your posting what State you live in. Is "snow owl"
the same thing as "snowy owl"? 

Thanks,
Sandra

dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Sam Conway) (03/02/90)

In article <103961@pyramid.pyramid.com> sandra@pyrtech.pyramid.com (Sandra Macika) writes:
>In article <825@lectroid.sw.stratus.com> mm@pennies.sw.stratus.com (Mike Mahler) writes:
>>
>>	We've got a couple of snow owls in my backyard (though I'm
>>	not really sure WHERE they live).  They've been spotted a few
>>	times (according to my neighbors) though I've never seen them.
>>
>>	What can I do to attract them other than increasing the
>>	mice population?
>>
>>	Michael
>
>I couldn't tell by your posting what State you live in. Is "snow owl"
>the same thing as "snowy owl"? 
>
>Thanks,
>Sandra

Yes, "snow owl" and "snowy owl" are the same person.

As for attracting them, you've already mentioned the best solution!
Raptors are notorious for doing their own thing, and I know of no
technique, other than providing a surplus of rodents, that can 
convince a raptor to stay in one particular area.  Most of them
seem to have a psychic sense of when a human being WANTS them to
stay around...that's when they leave.


--
Sam Conway                               *
dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu             *   Don't mention the war!
Chemistry Dept., Dartmouth College, NH   *   I mentioned it once, but I
Vermont Raptor Center (VINS)             *   think I got away with it...           

mm@pennies.sw.stratus.com (Mike Mahler) (03/03/90)

	Oops.  Yes, SNOWY owl. I live in Mass.