We have just begun owl migration monitoring at the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory with nine Northern Saw-Whet Owls banded so far. Since the program’s inception in 2004, 2,248 of these pop can-sized owls have been banded. In 2016, our second target species, the slightly larger Boreal Owl, was added to the roster with fifteen Boreal Owls banded to date. 

While the nets we use for our ongoing fall songbird migration monitoring program are entirely passive, meaning migrating birds are caught by chance as they fly through the understory each morning, these two owl species are drawn in nightly using audio lures that play their respective songs.

Northern Saw-whet Owls breed across Canada, and Sl…

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