There are indications at some banding stations in Ontario and Quebec, that this fall has seen more than the usual number of boreal owls being banded. The southward movement of this species is linked to a decline in the population of the red-backed vole. One banding station thinks this winter will see an irruption of boreal owls in Quebec and perhaps some places in the US as well. I assume for esatern Ontario too.
Another sign of this is someone found a dead female boreal owl in the York region of Ontario which had very little fat reserves.
What else is dependent on red-backed voles? Great gray owls feed on them as well in the boreal forest. This species typically irrupts in our region every four years and sometimes five. Winter 2024 - 2025 will be year 4. Only time will tell.
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