Maine has seen a big spike in barred owls getting hit by vehicles this year, possibly due to an abundance of seeds and nuts lower down the food chain that has multiplied the population of the small mammals they consume.
Two Maine animal rehabilitation centers have both received dozens of injured barred owls this year, with many coming in over the last two months. While there is no long-term data available, staff from both places said that is roughly double the number that they have received annually in recent years.
The Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick has nursed at least 93 barred owls back to health so far this year, 55 of which have arrived since October, according to wildlife specialist Chloe Lewis.
That’s a big increase from 2023, when it admitted a total of 49 barred owls.
Another rehab in the town of Freedom, called Avian Haven, has generally received fewer than 30 barred owls in each of the last few autumns, but this season, it has accepted more than 55. And not all of the ones that are hit by vehicles survive.
“They appear to be immatures that are going for roadkill in the street,” said Avian Haven staffer Laura Moore. “It’s really sad.”
The most likely explanation for why the owls are getting hit by so many vehicles is that their population has grown as a result of changes further down the food chain, according to Erynn Call, a biologist specializing in raptors at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Although there is no data on Maine’s barred owl population, their numbers appear stable-to-increasing across North America, Call said. They may also be expanding northward in Maine, due to changing climate patterns, she said.
On top of that, Call said there has been a spike in the population of small mammals such as mice and voles this year, which may be driven by a cyclical increase in the availability of seeds and nuts such as acorns and pinecones.
“The increase in barred owls this fall is likely linked to a surge in small mammal populations in recent years, a primary food source for the species,” Call said.
Barred owls, the most common species of owl in the state, often dwell in areas that have roads where small mammals fall prey to them. While other types of owls prefer remote and wooded areas, barred owls are highly adaptable and able to withstand places with more people.
Barred owls are also most active during dawn, dusk and nighttime, when drivers would have a harder time seeing and avoiding them in the road, Call said.
The most common injuries suffered by barred owls that are taken to wildlife rehabs are head trauma and broken wings and legs, which require several weeks of recovery. But some of them do have to be euthanized.
“A lot of the time, we’ll get them in, we’ll set them up, give them fluids, get them stabilized and then once they’re a little bit more stable, we’ll put them under anesthesia to get X-rays, so we can see more of what’s going on,” Lewis said.
With leg fractures, splinting — similar to a human cast — is necessary to keep the bird from using the broken parts. Regaining weight and staying inside in order to stay off of broken joints or bones is vital to recovery.
Eventually, once enough progress has been shown, owls are moved to flight enclosures outside where they are monitored to ensure they’re able to perch, fly and hunt as necessary.
Owl intakes are typically lowest in the summer between the months of June and September. An uptick in owl-related incidents usually occurs starting in October. Earlier sunsets from daylight savings bring out nocturnal birds and creatures at the same time as rush hour traffic, leading to more collisions.
Lewis reminded drivers to take note of their surroundings during the peak season, follow the speed limit and avoid distracted driving. She also suggested that drivers avoid tossing things such as apple cores out their windows.
“If you’re tossing an apple core out the window, you’re going to get a mouse who crosses the road to try and get it, and then you have your barred owl waiting to catch that mouse,” Lewis said.
