With leaves no longer obstructing vision, it is easier to catch sight of the many owl species found here. Of these, eight species are found year-round in various parts of our province, while four others migrate and are here only from spring to fall.

Because the snowy owl visits southern Manitoba only in the colder months, it is probably the one people watch for most often at this time. For many bird-lovers, sighting a snowy owl brings excitement, and has come to symbolize our winters.

This species spends more of its time north of the Arctic Circle, on the breeding grounds of the tundra. But with the coming of colder weather, snowy owls frequently migrate farther south.

Some years the migrants are plentiful enough to be classed as “an irruption.” These numbers may be due to a very successful nesting period, with many young raised, or sometimes it might be because of a scarcity of lemmings, voles and ptarmigan on which they feed. Alternatively, early, deep snows in the Arctic might lead to greater numbers heading south.

Watch for snowy owls in open fields or pastures, or along power lines. Accustomed to the treeless tundra, they tend to avoid trees. Birders often watch from inside a car, so as not to disturb the birds. Male snowies are smaller than females and lighter in colour, tending to become almost pure white as they get older. The females are usually heavily speckled or barred with black. This colouring acts as a camouflage on the summer nesting grounds but may increase visibility in winter.

Other greats

A second owl species more commonly seen in winter is the great grey owl (photo up top). This large owl spends the warmer months in the boreal forest sections, so it is not as noticeable then, but winter often brings it to the edges of the forests and a little farther south into mixed open/forested areas. Although it is our provincial bird, this species is not sighted often in the southwestern part of Manitoba, but can be seen in Riding Mountain National Park, and especially in and around Whiteshell Provincial Park and the eastern forested sections. Its large size is impressive for those lucky enough to see it.

A third common owl species, the great horned owl, is perhaps more often heard than seen in winter. This is the owl whose signature call of “Hoo, hoo, HOO, hoo, hoooo” is recognizable to many people. Surprisingly, these owls often begin nesting as early as February. Sometimes even in January, birders-in-the-know may locate a great horned owl sitting on a nest. This is another large species, although smaller than the great grey.

Night owls and day owls

Other owls that live year-round in Manitoba include eastern screech owl, northern hawk owl, barred owl, boreal owl and northern saw-whet owl. Most of these hunt mainly at night or early evening and will be resting in treed areas during the day.

Conversely, the hawk owl is primarily diurnal (hunting during daylight hours) so it may be sighted gliding over open fields or perched on a prominent tree beside an open area. This species tends to be farther north in summer but frequents southern Manitoba in winter. Visitors to Oak Hammock Marsh often report seeing this bird.

Other owl species are less likely to be seen because they are smaller, spend their time in treed areas, hunt at night, and/or are well camouflaged. The barred owl and boreal owl live mostly in boreal forests so are more hidden. The screech owl and saw-whet owl are both quite small at about seven to nine inches (18-21 cm) and may be heard more than seen.

Owl species that are usually here only in warmer months include the long-eared owl, short-eared owl, burrowing owl, and only very occasionally the barn owl. Of these, the burrowing owl is usually in the very southwest grasslands corner of Manitoba, and is classed as endangered.

For anyone with a real interest in owls, winter tours are offered through agencies or individuals, although some of these will be fully booked already. Search the Internet for these. Or join the birding group at manitobabirds@groups.io to see pictures and general locations. Exact locations are usually not given to avoid crowds bothering the birds.

Remember: if you do locate an owl, do not approach too closely or disturb it if it is resting or hunting, and especially not on a nest.

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The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has installed three towers near Oak Lake, and another near Whitewater Lake.

Antennae atop the towers collect signals from radio transmitters that have been attached to birds and large insects like butterflies. When a shorebird with a transmitter flies within 20 kilometres of the tower, information is captured. The data is then downloaded from the towers and shared with other researchers and organizations that are part of a wildlife tracking network.

The data from these and other towers across the country and around the world provides key information on which species are travelling through an area, where they came from, what routes they are taking and at what times. This information helps inform which areas are of most importance to these birds along their migration route.

The information is even more relevant and crucial in light of the 2019 State of the Birds Report issued June 20 by Environment and Climate Change Canada. It is the first survey done in seven years. The report says that since 1970, Canada has lost 40-60 per cent of shorebird, grassland birds and aerial insectivore populations. Eighty per cent of remaining grassland birds and aerial insectivores have been assessed as in the categories of ‘threatened’ or ‘endangered.’

Installation of the towers is only one part of a larger project that NCC is conducting in partnership with Bird Studies Canada, Manitoba Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program, the West Souris River Conservation District, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to monitor and learn more about shorebird migration, distribution and possible trends in southwest Manitoba.

Volunteers assist with collecting more detailed information by counting birds at key sites, as part of the International Shorebird Survey — a global effort to learn more about these species. This data also helps provide information about specific wetland sites, such as patterns in distribution and abundance.

Within Manitoba, shorebird research has historically focused on the Hudson Bay region, with limited information on significant stopover sites in the Prairies. The information collected from these towers will help ensure that efforts to conserve shorebirds will be as effective as possible.

Shorebirds are a diverse group of migratory birds, a few species of which have some of the longest migration distances in the feathered world.

The migratory route that passes through the Prairies is sometimes referred to as the central flyway. A handful of the species that move through Manitoba stay and breed, raising their young before returning south for the winter. Others only stop temporarily for food and rest on their way north or south.

This group of birds is strongly associated with shallow water habitats, such as those found on beaches or shorelines of lakes, shallow wetlands and in flooded fields or grasslands, where they forage for food in the mud and sand.

Whether for breeding or refuelling, Manitoba’s wetlands are incredibly important for these birds on their journeys.

But shorebirds are in trouble, and more needs to be done to help them.

Declining populations

Shorebird populations are declining quickly. A 2016 report on the State of North American Birds showed a 70 per cent decline in shorebird populations since the early 1970s. Causes of that decline range from habitat loss in breeding and wintering areas and along migratory pathways; changes in predation pressure; pollution; changes in food availability; changing climate conditions; and being repeatedly disturbed while resting and feeding.

Loss of habitat or stresses to migrating birds during stopovers can have a significant impact. If the birds are not healthy and strong when they reach their breeding site, their ability to successfully raise their young decreases significantly.

“With declining populations, there are only so many places shorebirds have to call home,” said Josh Dillabough, natural area co-ordinator for the Manitoba region. “This is one of the unique areas of Manitoba to help these birds on their long migration. It is our goal that species that call this area home, continue to do so for many generations to come.”

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To learn more about birds and bird migrations — particularly hawks, eagles and owls — take in the Pembina Valley Raptor Festival held annually at La Rivière. This year’s festival, (the seventh one), is scheduled for April 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with most activities taking place at the La Rivière & Community Recreation Centre on Broadway Street.

The Pembina Valley is the most important flyway for raptors in the province, beginning at the end of February and lasting for up to two months. Fifteen species of raptors have been counted passing through the area. Statistics from 2013, taken by birders who count in the region, include: bald eagles numbering nearly 2,000, close to 1,600 sharp-shinned hawks, and over 12,000 red-tailed hawks. Turkey vultures and golden eagles have also been counted, as well as numerous smaller hawks.

Visitors will be able to view displays set up by nature and conservation organizations such as the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre (based in Île des Chênes ), the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (a Winnipeg group), the Delta Marsh Observatory (with headquarters now in Winnipeg), Bird Studies Canada, the Burrowing Owl Recovery program and local groups such as A Rocha and the Pembina Valley Conservation District. Other displays will outline different tourist attractions of the area.

One of the most exciting features at the festival is the live raptors. Owls, falcons, kestrels and hawks were all present at last year’s festival, and are expected to put in a return appearance, providing opportunities for photos and a chance to talk to the handlers.

The keynote speaker for this year, with both an afternoon and morning presentation, will be Dr. Christian Artuso, Manitoba program manager for Bird Studies Canada, and an expert on owls and hawks.

One outdoor activity at the festival is the guided walking tours, led by Paul Goossen and other local naturalists, who will point out the variety of migrating hawks as well as other returning migrant songbirds. If you plan to take one of these walks, be sure to dress for the weather, and don’t forget your binoculars and camera.

One exciting open-air event last year was the release of a bald eagle, that had been rehabilitated after an injury, by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Organizers hope another bird may be ready for releasing this year (around 10 a.m., if one is available).

For more information on the raptor festival, go to the Municipality of Pembina website. There will also be a rainbow auction and door prizes, children’s activities and a photo contest. (See the website for contest rules and categories.)

Admission to the festival is free for all ages, and the centre is wheelchair accessible. Lunch will be available at the hall canteen. For more information, see the website or call 1-204-242-3272.

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Some of the birds arriving back in our province have travelled only a short distance, having gone just far enough south to find open water or a needed food source. Canada geese arriving here in March might come from the northern or central U.S. states. Robins and crows, also early arrivals, have perhaps flown only a few hundred kilometres. But other migrants fly mind-boggling distances.

One long-distance flyer which often nests in southern Manitoba is the Wilson’s phalarope. It migrates here from South America — sometimes all the way from its southern tip. Other phalaropes nest farther north in Canada, but the Wilson’s variety nests on the Prairies. This species is also unusual in that the females have brighter plumage than males, and they leave the males to hatch the eggs and feed the young once the egg laying is complete.

One species most famous for long-distance migration is the Arctic tern which passes through southern Manitoba in spring on its way to nesting grounds along Hudson Bay or even Greenland. It has flown all the way from the Antarctic seas. The yearly round trip may total over 70,000 km a year (approximately 45,000 miles), considered the longest migration route in the world.

The American golden plover is another amazing traveller. These birds nest in the Churchill area, and nestlings leave on their own, just six or eight weeks after hatching. Their flight pattern on the way south is strange. They fly southeast from Hudson Bay, travelling either by the Labrador coast or coastal New England in the U.S. From there they fly non-stop over the Atlantic Ocean to Brazil, a distance of 3,800 km (2,400 miles). This is without the adult birds, which leave three or four weeks before their offspring. The birds’ route north in the spring is shorter, flying more directly through the central U.S.

Some smaller birds also have fascinating flight patterns. Most travel over land, often via Mexico and Central America, making stops along the way. But a 2015 study showed that the blackpoll warbler, a small songbird weighing about 12 grams, flies non-stop across the Atlantic from the eastern U.S. coast to wintering grounds in South America. Researchers in Vermont and Nova Scotia attached tiny geolocator “backpacks” to a number of birds. The packs were too small to fit transmitters but had instruments to measure data. The following spring five birds were recaptured and the data showed they took journeys across the Atlantic of 2-1/2 to three days, travelling non-stop about 2,500 km (1,550 miles) until they could land in Colombia or Venezuela. To accomplish this feat, the birds eat enough to nearly double their weight before taking off. For more information about this amazing flight, check out this article on The Guardian.

One well-known traveller is the ruby-throated hummingbird (see photo at top). Because of their tiny size, there used to be a myth that hummingbirds migrated by riding on the backs of Canada geese, but this is completely false. The ruby-throat weighs only two to six grams, but migrates here from Central America, a distance of up to 6,000 km. Most fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico, about 800 km, from the Yucatan to the U.S. coast. It is believed that they typically leave at dusk and take 18 to 22 hours, depending on the weather, with the males normally leaving first. The migration is spread over three months — nature’s way of preventing a total disaster if bad weather occurs.

After hummers reach the U.S., they continue migrating north at a rate of about 30 km per day, corresponding to the gradual blooming of their preferred flowers. Studies have shown, through bird banding, that they usually return to the same place they hatched, perhaps even the same feeders. Studies also show that in fall migrations, more hummingbirds follow the Texas coast back into Mexico instead of taking the route across the Gulf.

The migration of birds is an intriguing phenomenon. This spring as you watch for our returning migrants, stop to think of how far some of them have flown.

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After years of studying the role of wild birds in outbreaks of avian influenza in domestic poultry flocks, one of Canada’s top public sector veterinarians says the bottom line is farmers need to take precaution in the fall.

John Pasick is the national veterinary science authority for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and he says there’s an annual rhythm to infections. Much like humans tend to suffer more in the fall when kids return to the Petri dish of schools, birds spread disease in the fall during migration.

“The main message from our research is for farmers to maintain good biosecurity measures in the fall when the birds are migrating,” Pasick said in a recent interview. “Pay close attention to every detail during that time because domestic flocks have little natural immunity to diseases.”

Even when there is no direct contact between wild and farmed birds, the weather or even small rodents can spread diseases carried by wild birds into poultry, he said. In one case in Saskatchewan, pond water transmitted an infectious disease.

Pasick has worked as a veterinary virologist with CFIA and Agriculture Canada for 24 years, including 18 years at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg. He was a World Organization for Animal Health Reference Laboratory expert for avian influenza and classical swine fever.

He recalls the outbreak of avian influenza in British Columbia in 2004. Coming on the heels of the BSE discovery in Alberta a year earlier, the poultry disease gained national attention. The disease has returned regularly since then, bringing it under scrutiny by Pasick and other experts.

Since then, researchers in Canada and elsewhere have been compiling data on disease outbreaks including questioning farmers whose flocks were affected. They also track migration patterns of wild birds. Their goal is to improve early warnings to farmers about disease threats.

One of their key findings is that breakdowns in biosecurity are a frequent contributor to the incident.

Basically what happens is a low-pathological disease in wild birds mutates into a high-pathological outbreak in farmed flocks kept indoors and often of the same age, he said. Backyard poultry flocks are less affected by diseases from wild birds because they are more diverse in age.

Every outbreak in Canada is closely studied to learn as much as possible about it and the overall threat to poultry farms, he said. Canada is working with the United States to better understand transmission patterns and what causes a low-pathological disease in the wild to become much deadlier in flocks.

It’s a global problem and waterfowl receive special attention in the study.

Several academic articles have been published detailing the problem in extensive detail.

Pasick is a contributor to a lengthy piece in the Scientific Reports series from the journal Nature on the outbreak of H5N2 in British Columbia in 2014.

Science Magazine, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, published a map showing how H5N8 spread from Southeast Asia through Russia into Europe and through Alaska into the Americas.

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University of Saskatchewan biology professor, Christy Morrissey says watching birds for problems could help locate issues that may affect human health, one of the driving forces behind a new research facility.

“Everything is magnified for them,” Morrissey said. “They’re smaller, their lifespans are shorter in many cases and they are so dependent on their environment.”

Spanning close to 350 square metres, the facility has six indoor bird rooms and 12 outdoor enclosures, capable of holding a large variety of bird species such as songbirds, waterfowl and raptors.

It is one of only two such facilities in Canada capable of advanced research on birds, as well as the only facility of its kind dedicated to the studies of avian wildlife ecotoxicology and medicine.

“Most of our research capacity is on aquatic animals, so we have a lot of that,” she said. “We have an animal care facility mostly for small mammals to do health research, but no dedicated space to work on wildlife and no dedicated place to work on birds, other than poultry.

“The whole concept of the facility is to do multidisciplinary research on wild birds — that could be anything from ecology and migration studies to toxicology work and veterinary medicine.”

Birds have a long, storied past as being excellent indicators of environmental conditions, Morrissey said. Like the proverbial canary in a coal mine — where the bright, chirpy bird would accompany underground miners and cease to sing once the air became too toxic — birds still act as indicators of the health of the environment and potentially the health of the environment to support humans as well.

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New research provides some of the first details of the hummingbird’s annual fall journey from the eastern United States to Central America. It shows that their fall migration peaks in September and that older birds travel ahead of younger ones.

The more experienced birds leave earlier and in better condition. They can fly farther and arrive sooner at their wintering grounds.

“Patterns we previously had hints of from small, anecdotal observations are documented here with a very large sample size. It’s interesting that the young of the year migrate after adults and are quite different in their stopover phenology. This suggests there are substantial differences between flying south for the first time, as opposed to flying somewhere again as an adult,” said University of California-Riverside’s Chris Clark, an expert on hummingbird behaviour. “I think that further research on how young hummingbirds migrate, and the decisions they make, would be really interesting.”

While examining the birds’ annual fall journey from the eastern United States to Central America, the researchers also found fall migration peaks in September and that many of the birds are capable of flying more than 2,000 kms without a stop.

Theodore Zenzal of the University of Southern Mississippi and his colleagues captured ruby-throated hummingbirds with mist nets at Alabama’s Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge during the fall migrations of 2010-14, banding and recording data on 2,729 individual hummingbirds.

Using a computer program to estimate flight range based on birds’ mass and wingspan, they estimated that the average hummingbird has a flight range of around 2,200 kilometres. Older birds and males were predicted to be able to travel farther at a time than younger birds and females. They discovered the migration passes through the area between late August and late October.

Whether ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate across the Gulf of Mexico or around it is still unknown, but the flight ranges researchers calculated mean that most of them would be able to make it across if weather conditions were favourable.

“The most interesting thing, in my opinion, is how some of these birds effectively double their body mass during migration and are still able to perform migratory flights, especially given some of the heftier birds seem to barely make it to a nearby branch after being released,” said Zenzal.

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Each year a massive raptor migration takes place as these magnificent birds return to Manitoba from their wintering grounds. Usually the best place to view this exciting phenomenon is along the river valleys of southern Manitoba where raptors float high overhead on the thermals created from rising air.

For five consecutive years, the tiny village of La Riviere, located in the Pembina River Valley, has held a festival that celebrates these magnificent birds that are common throughout Manitoba. While the annual celebration is now over for this year, the enthusiasm for these spectacular birds of prey continues until they wing their way south in autumn.

Raptors are birds that hunt for food from the air. They have three general qualities that distinguish them, including keen binocular vision, which allows them to spot their prey while in flight. They also have a large curved bill and sharp talons to grasp and hold their prey.

During migration, raptors travel long distances with less effort by soaring on the thermals. A thermal is a column of rising air caused by heating of the earth’s surface causing upward lift. Raptors extend their wings and circle upward riding the thermal until losing its lift. Then they glide to the next thermal and so on, until it reaches the nesting grounds. Thermals frequently form next to lakes, rivers, and above valleys.

For the past decade, an annual “hawk watch” was carried out in the Pembina Valley recording the number of migratory raptors. In 2014, they recorded 16 different species of raptors with a total of 11,327 birds at their count site a short distance north of the Pembina Valley Provincial Park. The most common species recorded was the red-tailed hawk, with 7,720 counted. As well, the total included 1,454 bald eagles, 702 sharp-shinned and 604 broad-winged hawks.

To celebrate the importance of raptors, the La Riviere Raptor Festival is held in the Pembina Valley each April. This valley is considered one of the best places to view the spring raptor migration. The festival centres on monitoring Manitoba’s premiere spring raptor migration and creates awareness of the significance of the Pembina Valley as a migratory corridor for birds of prey, according to the festival brochure.

This year an estimated 500 people attended to marvel at the spring migration and learn more about raptors. Festival events included a display of live birds of prey, guided bird walks, migration viewing and educational displays. Live birds on display included a Swainson’s hawk, American kestrel, barn owl, burrowing owl and great horned owl.

Even if you missed the spring migration, keep your eye on the skies through the rest of the summer to watch for hawks, eagles, turkey vultures, owls and other birds of prey.

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First on the list are usually the horned larks, which begin to appear as early as January or February. We catch sight of them flying up along highways as vehicles approach. These small birds are difficult to photograph because they usually scare as you get near. I always wonder why they return quite that early; they are ground nesters, and there are usually no bare spots available that soon.

Another early arrival, often beginning in March, is the Canada goose. A very few occasionally stay over winter, if they can find open water below a dam, but most migrate at least some distance south. Some geese may only travel as far south as Wisconsin or Michigan before finding enough open water to overwinter. These ones may begin to arrive back in Manitoba before the lakes or rivers begin to open up. We hear their plaintive honking and watch as they land on ice and search for open water. Ducks and occasionally gulls are other water species that sometimes return too early. They, also, may find many of their favourite spots still covered by ice.

More from the Manitoba Co-operator website: This winter is NOT ‘for the birds’

Other early arrivals are robins, often by the end of March, despite lingering banks of snow and a scarcity of worms and insects. We welcome their cheerful chirping, a sign of spring to those who are tired of winter! Bluebirds and some types of sparrows may also arrive early, sometimes coming too soon. Sudden cold spells or blizzards can mean death for these birds. In 2011 my husband discovered dead eastern bluebirds in one of his houses following a blizzard, while last year’s bluebirds were very late returning, and fewer in number. It was presumed that storms in the central U.S. had delayed or killed some of them.

Besides watching for returning migrants in spring, birders can watch and listen for birds that are beginning to nest. A number of species actually start building nests while spring still seems a long way off. Ravens are one such species. A Winnipeg birder remarked on the Internet that a raven was seen carrying nesting material the third week of February!

Owls also begin nesting early in the season. From February to April is when we hear them most often, a sign that these birds are beginning to pair up. Some types of owls are migratory. Burrowing owls, short-eared owls and some northern saw-whet owls spend their winters farther south. But by March these have usually returned to join other types that stay all year.

For birders who are interested in owls, late March and early April is when the annual Manitoba Nocturnal Owl Survey is held. My husband and I have helped with this for several years and find it an interesting way to spend a late-winter/early-spring evening. Beginning about 9 p.m., we drive a pre-set 10-mile route through the hills south of MacGregor, stopping every mile (each 1.6 km) to listen for owls. Most years we hear a couple of great-horned owls and several northern saw-whet owls, but last year we heard no saw-whets; apparently with the long winter/late spring they were slow returning from the south, all across the province.

If you would like to participate in the owl survey, contact Dr. James Duncan at James.Duncan@gov.mb.ca or at 204-945-7465. For more information, or to listen to the owl calls, check out the website at http://www.naturenorth.com/summer/creature/owl/owl_new/owl2005.html.

Whatever birds interest you, as winter draws to a close it’s time to turn your attention to the new arrivals. But don’t forget, the winter birds will still be visiting your feeders for a while yet.

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