The last time a
Burrowing Owl—a bird typically found on the Great Plains and western
deserts—showed up on the Chicago lakefront was in October 2008, and things did
not end well for it. After being seen by birders throughout the morning, it
eventually fell prey to an opportunistic Cooper’s Hawk.
Were birders responsible
for its untimely death by making it fly too many times? This is a debate that
still resonates in the birding community, so when Jerry Goldner and I
independently discovered a Burrowing Owl this past Saturday along the
lakefront, we had reservations about announcing it to the wider birding
community.
Owls are nocturnal birds
that are not accustomed to flying around during the day, and Burrowing Owls
tend to spend the day perched on the ground hidden in grass or hiding in a
burrow. Along the lakefront, this means it would probably spend its time trying
to hide in the grasses in the beach, where it would be susceptible to being
flushed by over-eager birders wanting to add it to their lists.
With many birds of prey
flying around, we wanted to ensure that the bird was not disturbed while still
allowing as many birders and passersby to enjoy the beautiful little owl.
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