Hi Rob and all, There are definitely strong contrasts in Barred Owl habitat preference between the Southeast and the Northeast. The most striking one to me is their absence from coastal woodlands on Long Island (even long before suburbanization), in contrast to their abundance in similar settings to the south.
In general, I would say that Barred Owls tend to be more localized, within special habitats, in the Northeast, compared to their ubiquity in parts of the South, and that some of the special forest types they prefer up here (hemlock ravines, red maple swamps, boreal bogs) are not conducive to suburbia. That said, and varying definitions of "suburbia" aside, I would say that Northeastern Barred Owls are not particularly averse to human density. Where I grew up in southern mainland Rhode Island (Washington County) there is a belt of swamplands along the northern margin of the terminal moraine. This area is suburban by most definitions but definitely hosts good numbers of breeding Barred Owls. I suspect that similar situations exist in mainland NY. Shai Mitra Bay Shore ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on behalf of Rob Bierregaard [[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2016 9:36 AM To: & [NYSBIRDS] Subject: [nysbirds-l] Barred Owls Does anyone know of Barred Owls nesting in NY in suburban habitats? This is very common in the SE, but I sense is rare up north. I’m writing a chapter for a book on raptors in urban and suburban habitats and would appreciate any information on the subject. Happy holidays, Rob Bierregaard -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
