Questions

[Ally]

1. Do we have Barn owls in Ontario, any recent sightings?
2. Are blue herons winter residents? I saw one today.

Thanks,

[Paul O'Toole]

Three sightings that I am aware of and in both cases the bird ended up deceased were 13 November 2009, Fifty Point Conservation Area, City of Hamilton. This one was injured and eventually died. 2nd one was a deceased barn owl in someones yard in Whitby Shores Dec 2011. Both birds were sent to the Royal Ontario Museum .

Info for its range:

"The Barn Owl cannot tolerate severe winter temperatures, and southern Ontario is the northern limit of its range. Breeding sites in Ontario are restricted to areas with the moderating effects of the Great Lakes (within 50 kilometres of the lakes)."

http://files.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/species-at-risk/barn_owl_map_eng.pdf

As for GBH's some do stay the winter as long as they can access open water to hunt, most do fly further south.

Third sighting was verified by The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has confirmed that at least one of the endangered birds was spotted in the Port Ryerse area summer of 2014.

[Ally]

Two sightings that I am aware of and in both cases the bird ended up deceased were 13 November 2009, Fifty Point Conservation Area, City of Hamilton. This one was injured and eventually died. 2nd one was a deceased barn owl in someones yard in Whitby Shores. Both birds were sent to the Royal Ontario Museum .

Info for its range:

"The Barn Owl cannot tolerate severe winter temperatures, and southern Ontario is the northern limit of its range. Breeding sites in Ontario are restricted to areas with the moderating effects of the Great Lakes (within 50 kilometres of the lakes)."

http://files.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/species-at-risk/barn_owl_map_eng.pdf

As for GBH's some do stay the winter as long as they can access open water to hunt, most do fly further south.

Thank you so much Paul. hope you have a nice Sunday!

[Dinusaur]

Yes, great info indeed. I always wondered about Barn owls in the wild here around GTA. I believe one can see one in captivity in Canadian Raptor Conservancy in Vittoria.

[lovemypt]

Ally

Barn owls are probably one of most sot after bird to all birders in Ontario and Canada,  BC has a very small population and in Ontario only 1-2  are seen some years, their locations or presence would never be given out or acknowledge opening.

Jeremy Bensette did a Big Year in 2017 and listed one seen in southwestern Ontario, last recording I know of.  Mountsberg in Milton has a couple which can be seen and photography in their raptor centre

[Ally]

Ally

Barn owls are probably one of most sot after bird to all birders in Ontario and Canada,  BC has a very small population and in Ontario only 1-2  are seen some years, their locations or presence would never be given out or acknowledge opening.

Jeremy Bensette did a Big Year in 2017 and listed one seen in southwestern Ontario, last recording I know of.  Mountsberg in Milton has a couple which can be seen and photography in their raptor centre

Thanks Dave, I saw a photo of a Barn Owl in snow, which prompted my question.

[lovemypt]

probably taken at Mountsburg  or CRC raptor centre photos shoots.........your are right to question....seeing a Barn in snow is like seeing a Snowy owl on green grass