Death of a Burrowing Owl - Did Bird Watchers Indirectly Kill This Lost Bird?

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Nov 1, 2008

Recently, a Burrowing Owl turned up in Chicago, far from its natural range and clearly lost. After it was spotted and reported by a birdwatcher, other birders gathered to see the rare bird—rare in Chicago, that is. Before long, a Cooper’s Hawk spotted the owl and killed it. A debate immediately arose as to whether bird enthusiasts actually caused the death of this unfortunate bird.

Comments from those who felt birders were responsible included:

• People disturbing an already stressed bird added extra stress and caused it to use valuable energy reserves.
• Flushing the owl repeatedly to get a look at it made it visible to the raptor.
• A bird already frightened by people might not react effectively when attacked by a hawk.
• Birders put their own interests before that of the bird.

Comments to the contrary included:

• The owl was lost and already exhausted from its ordeal (probably a storm that blew it off course). It was probably doomed anyway.
• A Cooper’s Hawk is a keen hunter and doesn’t need help spotting a vulnerable bird.
• Bird watching, a growing hobby, is one of the main forces behind conservation of birds in the world today. When a rare bird turns up, the event fuels that interest and ultimately helps all birds.

Though I didn’t see this mentioned, I would add that hunting raptors have their troubles too. They hunt birds and small animals and rely heavily on weak, vulnerable, careless birds for food, catching very few of the birds they go after. The death of the owl contributed to the life of the hawk. All was not lost.

My own opinion is that, regardless of the rarity, interest, or condition of the owl, or the eventual outcome, it’s not okay to deliberately disturb a wild animal. Not once; certainly not repeatedly. Ethical bird watching means enjoying the birds without affecting them.

What do you think?