Northern Hawk Owl

Northern Hawk Owl Visits New Brunswick

Northern Hawk Owl

A Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) was observed in the Gagetown area recently.  This species is a rare winter visitor from the north.  Please see a previous post on this blog for information on this species.  This post will exhibit more photos and additional information.

Northern Hawk Owl

The Northern Hawk Owl is a diurnal species (active during daylight) and is non-migratory.  Its normal range is Canada's north from Newfoundland and Labrador west to British Columbia and Yukon and most of Alaska.  During the winter it is not uncommon for a few birds to move south beyond the normal range to the northern US, New England and the Maritime provinces.  In most winters we get reports of a handful here. 

Northern Hawk Owl

The Northern Hawk Owl is a circumpolar species.  In earlier times the Eurasian race and the Siberian race were considered separate species.  The races differ slightly in colouration.  This species is called 'Hawk Owl' because of its similarity to a hawk.  It sits on the top of trees and poles sometimes inclined forward like a hawk and other times straight up like an owl.  Its long tail and flight manner are also much like that of a hawk.  Its tail, small pointed wings, shallow wing beats and its propensity to hover reminds birders of a kestrel (Sparrowhawk in Europe).  Its flight is swift and graceful like most hawks.  It also 'hawks' for food, sitting on a high perch and flying down for a vole, mouse, lemming or small bird just like a hawk.  When a Northern Hawk Owl swoops down it flies straight down from the perch and then levels out to fly horizontally close to the ground.  I saw our visitor do this as it was searching for small mammals in a field.  It will sometimes wag its tail up and down or sometimes it holds it up at an angle.  The recent bird was showing this behaviour.

Northern Hawk Owl

The Northern Hawk Owl appears quite tame.  It seems not bothered by human activity.  That is often the case of the northern owls where they rarely encounter human activity.  That is an unfortunate

 characteristic.  It makes them easy prey to the unscrupulous person who wants to 'collect' this species.  This is a protected species and all injury, killing or interference with their activities is illegal!  Because they are vulnerable, they should not be closely approached.  As an example of their vulnerability, during an incursion into New England in 1884, a taxidermist in Bangor, Me. received 28 fresh carcasses in a period of a few days.  I am happy the species is now protected!

This owl is very ferocious around its nest.  There are many reports of attacks on approaching humans.  Many people have had their hat removed by a fast swooping angry owl.  Some have had serious lacerations to the scalp.  One adult is usually guarding the nest while the other is incubating the eggs or searching for food for the young.  

Northern Hawk Owl

If you see more than one owl together, that is usually a family group.  The family stays together until the next spring, the young learning to fend for themselves during that time.  These owls eat voles, mice, lemmings,  ground squirrels, weasels, insects and birds.  They will take birds as big as ptarmigans and grouse.

The Northern Hawk Owl is a versatile vocalist.  It makes a loud raspy screechy sound, a short repetitive sound like most birders are familiar with on their bird calls, and other calls.  The bird I saw recently was vocalizing.  Its sound was low volume and kind of a chittery sound.  If I hadn't seen it making the sound I would have missed it.  

This species was, of course, more common many years ago.  A report from Camrose, Alberta, in 1896-97 mentions an abundance after a few years of scarcity.  They reported seeing 30 birds while on a day's drive.  That obviously was an incursion year.

The Northern Hawk Owl is also known colloquially as the 'Canadian Owl' and the 'Hudsonian Hawk Owl'.  I can report from experience that this is a very beautiful creature.  The light gray, dark gray, black, rufous brown, brown umber and white colours are artistically applied.  The light yellow eyes are penetrating and beautiful.  It is too bad this species is so tame.  It makes it too vulnerable.  I have been truly blessed to be able to see and describe this owl.

Much of the information given in this post was taken from Arthur Cleveland Bent's, Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey.