Thanks to everyone who contributed to the 18th year of the Atlantic Nocturnal Owl Survey! We’re very pleased to report that the survey was truly Atlantic-wide this year, with data submitted for 10 routes in Newfoundland and Labrador! We extend a very warm welcome to our new survey volunteers from that region, and send out a big thank-you to Travis Heckford, whose enthusiasm and efforts have been instrumental in getting the NL Nocturnal Owl Survey off the ground!

The rest of the Atlantic region had its usual tremendous showing of Citizen Science, with survey data submitted for 46 routes in New Brunswick, 29 routes in Nova Scotia, and 23 routes in Prince Edward Island. More routes were completed in each province in 2018 than in 2017, for a total of 98!

A number of volunteers have informed us that they completed their 2018 route, but have not yet submitted the data. We will always accept late submissions, so please send/email your datasheets. If you are comfortable with online forms, we enthusiastically encourage you to submit your data via our NatureCounts website (www.birdscanada.org/birdmon/atowls/main.jsp). The NatureCounts website has recently received a makeover to make it more user-friendly, so it is a quick and efficient option. All you have to do is register (first time you use it) or log in using the link given above. If you are not sure whether you have an account, can’t remember your password, or have any other questions, please contact us!

As always, a huge THANK-YOU to all of our volunteers! Without you, there would be no Atlantic Nocturnal Owl Survey!

2018 Season Summary

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Inside this issue:

Owl Trends 2

Owl Facts 3

Thank You To Our Volunteers

4

A Program of:

Mean number of owls (all species) detected on all routes over the past 18 years.

Please share your photos with us! We'd love to see the photos you

take during your 2019 owl survey!

Jason Dain, Route NS27

For more information or to participate in the

Atlantic Canada Nocturnal Owl Survey,

contact:

Amy-Lee Kouwenberg

akouwenberg@birdscanada.org

506-364-5045

UNDERSTAND · APPRECIATE · CONSERVE

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Owl Trends

As can be seen in the graph on Page 1, the average number of owls per route in Nova Scotia made a bit of jump in 2018 compared to the previous seven years. The last time the average number of owls per route was higher in NS was in 2010! As shown in the graph on Page 2, this higher number of owls per route in NS appears to be driven mostly by Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls, both of which were at their highest numbers per route since 2010. In New Brunswick, the overall number of owls per route hovered around average. However, looking at individual species, the numbers of Barred Owls and Northern Saw-whet Owls per route was similar to recent years, but the number of Great Horned Owls per route was the lowest since 2013. Total number of owls per route in Prince Edward Island was also similar to recent years, but number of Great Horned Owls per route was the highest since 2008 and the number of Northern Saw-whet Owls per route was the lowest ever.

In summary, the number of owls detected by Atlantic owl surveyors remains relatively stable, but with a possible downward trend in number of Great Horned Owls in NB. After three years of below-average Northern Saw-whet Owl numbers, it was somewhat surprising to see a fourth below-average year for this species in NS and PEI. Saw-whet Owl populations tend to track mammal abundance in a cyclical pattern, with years of below-average numbers followed by above-average numbers. Perhaps we’ll see an upswing next year!

With volunteer help, we have been able to monitor owls in the Maritimes since 2001. Trends were calculated for the most common owls on the survey. Each point on the graph represents the average number of owls per route for each year of the

survey. The trend is indicated by the line on the graphs (coloured differently for each province).

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Did You

Know?

The mass of a male Northern Saw-whet Owl is approximately equal to that of an American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

The incredibly strong talon grip of a Great Horned Owl requires 13 kg of force to open, and allows this species to sever the spines of large prey.

The skin on the underside of the foot is rough and covered in bumps, which are thought to aid perching and gripping prey.

No Picky Eaters Here!

Diet analysis of Barred Owls by Mark Elderkin as part of his M.Sc. revealed a diverse diet.

Of 1375 prey items, 61% were mammals, but invertebrates, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish were also documented (Elderkin, 1987).

The ear-like tufts sported by Great Horned Owls are called plumicorns!

At least 11 distinct vocalizations have been reported for Northern Saw-whet Owl, including twittering, whining, squeaking, tooting, and chirruping.

Artuso, C., C. S. Houston, D. G. Smith, and C. Rohner (2013). Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.372

Rasmussen, J. L., S. G. Sealy, and R. J. Can-nings (2008). Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadi-cus), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.42

Elderkin, M. F. (1987). The breeding and feeding ecology of a Barred Owl Strix varia Barton population in Kings County, Nova Scotia. Master's Thesis, Acadia Univ., Wolfville, NS.

David Illig

Fyn Kynd

Hal Trachtenberg

Page 3 ATLANTIC CANADA NOCTURNAL OWL SURVEY

UNDERSTAND · APPRECIATE · CONSERVE

Many thanks to our generous partners and funders: The New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund, The New Brunswick Department of Energy and Resource Development, and the Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

“Owl-standing” Volunteers

In New Brunswick:

Justin Lahaie, Katherine Lahaie, Jim Brown, Mike Lavigne, Tony Little, Gary Moore, Liette Clement, Tracey Dean, Andrew Stewart, Rebecca Stewart, Mike Lushington, Jim Clifford, Kelly Honeyman, Madeline Honeyman, Bridget Honeyman, Roger Leblanc, Sophie Bastien-Daigle, Maurice Daigle, Richard Elliot, Kate Bredin, John Klymko, James Mills, Maurice McGraw, Andrew MacInnis, Joyce Robinson, Karen Miller, Frank Branch, Denise Godin, Todd Beach, Julia Connell, Paul Connell, Gordon Carpenter, Brenda Carpenter, Joe Kennedy, Karl Branch, Rod O’Connell, Roy LaPointe, Charles Neveu, Dave McLeod, Pam Watters, Philippe Riebel, Sonya Hinds, Jim G. Wilson, Jean E. Wilson, Becky Whittam, Mike Sullivan, Stephanie Symons, Michelle Popowich, Simon Popowich, Allyson Heustis, Mike Martin, Rose Martin, Elizabeth Mills, Kirby Morrill, Emma Bailey, Arielle Demarchant, Samuel Daigle

In Nova Scotia:

Randy Lauff, Ken McKenna, Chris Kennedy Nazo Gabrielian, Verna Higgins, Doug Bliss, Sydney Bliss, Kate Steele, Blaine MacDonald, Amber MacDonald, Chris Pepper, Bruce Curtis, Wendy Turner, Richard Stern, Bernard Forsythe, James Hirtle, Kevin Lantz, Paul MacDonald, Donna Crossland, Alix d’Entremont, Shawn Craik, Paula Dodaro, Beth Sherwood, Suzanne Borkowski, Steve Hopper, Peggy Jefferson Hopper, Sean LeMoine, Vicki Daley, Susann Myers, Claire Diggins, Bonnie Johnson, Doug Archibald, Robert Cameron, Mike Gill, Brad Toms, Don Basler, Amelie Constantineau, James Neish, Clarence Stevens Sr., Gary Selig, Pat McKay, Jon Diggins, Sherry Archibald, Blake SG Daley, Jason Dain

Prince Edward Island:

Sandra Keough, Dorothy Kough, Sara Gamble, Sherron Kickham-Gamble, Dale Cameron, Ginger Cole, Chris Rice, Susan Rankin, Mark Arsenault, Rosemary Curley, Gerald MacDonald, Lucas MacCormack, Matt McIver, Karalee McAskill, Kathleen MacNearney, David MacNearney, Trevor MacKinnon, Jessi MacKinnon, Carol Murphy, Jason MacEachern, Nina Linton, Dominic Antle, Fiep de Bie, Dan McAskill, Leanne Tol, Matt McIver, Dwaine Oakley, John Hoar, Brett MacKinnon, Trevor Coffin, Edwin Gillis, Alan McLennan, Tess McBurney, Evan Young, Julie-Lynn Zahavich

We greatly appreciate all the time and effort our owl surveyors and their assistants contribute to the survey each year! In 2018, the volunteers were:

And any other volunteers we

may have missed!

Newfoundland and Labrador:

Travis Heckford, Karen English, Ann English, Alvan Buckley, Laura King, Beverly McClenaghan, William MacKenzie, Colleen Meaney

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