The trick is catching the rats while dodging cars . . .

These are beautiful and majestic birds. It is sad to hear that many of the ones being found in the lower 48 appear to be malnourished. Hopefully they can find enough food to survive and fatten up again. I am sure that the long flight south has a lot to do with the condition of the birds. It would be a real shame to see these bird disappear.

It is disturbing to read:

an owl that landed at an airport in Hawaii in November was shot and killed to avoid collisions with planes.

You would think that they could have found a way to capture the bird or otherwise get it to leave the area. Shooting the owl seems like an extreme solution to a problem that could have been dealt with without the need to kill the bird.

@ike-1544036 - Your comment shows your ignorance. Without these lesser species, the entire food chain would collapse. This would result in the mass starvation of people in many parts of the world. It would also have other ecological impacts that could have wide ranging effects on the planet. Here is just one easy example I can give you that your apparently limited intellect may be able to understand. Lately there have been mass die offs of bats in the US. To the ignorant, this would seem like no big deal, after all bats are nothing more than flying rodents right {sarcasm intended}. However, bats are key to containing the mosquito population since this is the bats main food source. An explosion in the mosquito population would not only cause a lot of discomfort, it could have major negative impacts on some crops and could result in massive disease epidemics. This is because mosquitoes can transmit many different diseases to and among people as well as animals. Just try and think about the impact this could have. It is extremely short sighted to think that worrying about the survival of lesser species is not important to man.

I'm going to have to disagree, ike-1544036. People in 3rd world countries are breeding at unsustainable rates. Not just unsustainable for their countries, but unsustainable for the world. You can't expect the US to pay to feed every person in the world. We're already in debt. For the animals, we're just setting aside habitat...we don't really have to spend money feeding them...we just to protect their breeding areas. Much less expensive than feeding the world population--and arguably still great for the world ecosystem and generations of humans that come after us.

The problem with not trying to save animal populations -- either by legal protections such as hunting laws or habitat set asides -- other than humans (and yes, we are animals, too), is that at some point, humans, near or at the top of the food chain as we are, will not have enough food to sustain OUR population. As you noted, we are at that point now in some places.

No, we don't, as a rule, eat owls, for example, but owls eat rodents which eat grain, from which we get much of our sustenance. See how one small, perhaps localized, problem can occur with unrestricted population increases in the rodent family? Let similar results spread widely across a variety of creature populations, fish, fowl and animal or even microscopic, and you will have disasters equivalent to that which snowy owl populations apparently face now, but on an incredibly massive, and yes, human, scale. Indeed, that's largely why we have starving or near starving human populations today.

And of course, the problem can, has been, and will be, magnified by human action OR inaction. You will find those links at every point in the food chain, from the smallest creature invisible to the human eye to the largest and more voracious predator. Look at that entire process of life rather than limiting your outlook to the human animal. We are not alone, nor can we survive alone.

ike, "humans should always be a priority over animals"

All animals including we humans are interconnected. For example, today most countries properly dispose of their garbage. In the course of history when this was not the case, rat populations which carried fleas increased dramatically. The result was the black plague and bubonic plague. The black plague alone wiped out a third of the population of Europe because they didn't know the cause. The study of animals is a noble occupation. Embrace it.

Sorry Ike - I must disagree with your assessment. If the earth's food web collapses we all go down. The die-off of, in your terms, 'lesser species' is causing great concern among educated folks because this is the start of a possible cascade or ripple through the food web of which we are among the top predators.

Unfortunately, it IS natures way to thin the herds. When something becomes unsustainable it IS UNSUSTAINABLE. And so, the 'extra' animals must move to find food or die. This is true whether owls or homo sapiens.

The neat thing about homo sapiens is that they are able to NOT BREED thus saving themselves a lot of heartache if they're unable to care for and feed more young. (A good theory anyway . . . )

No God involved -- I highly suspect that "billiondollarcause" thing is a scam as there are no donors actually listed.

And wow -- I just noticed that post was deleted JUST as I was posting this. Good on Newsvine!

ike - there are people capable of understanding that humans should always be priority over animals.

Of course you are joking. I can't imagine any rational, intelligent person having the mindset that you appear to have. Good joke - I guess...

"The rent's too dam high!".Owl be seein' you.

owl can you...say that...

..O RLY?

whooo..whooo..whooo

English rock band..1963-present. Played with the Wings once.

JS in SD - did you not read that they have been hatching 7 at a time, instead of the normal max of 2? They're not going to disappear, there are going to be lots and lots of them. And yes, some may starve to death, which will bring their population back in line with the supply of lemmings. Or... maybe they'll find new sources of food in their new areas, squirrels, rabbits, etc.

Nature has a funny way of taking care of itself. We need to do our part to keep things clean, but it's generally a self-correcting system. The same thing will happen with humans - when we get to the point that the earth literally cannot sustain that many people, the numbers will be reduced down to a level that can be sustained.

@ike

I don't understand the mentality that there needs to be a choice of one over the other. It's either human at the expence of animal or animal at the expence of humans. We are all not mutually exclusive, and each only has one life. Let us all cherish both with the respect and compassion they all deserve.

Wow, that is one breathtakingly beautiful bird!

Aviator dave

The same thing will happen with humans - when we get to the point that the earth literally cannot sustain that many people, the numbers will be reduced down to a level that can be sustained.

Ya by the Illuminati!

Did some huge event happen in the wizarding world that's causing them all to send letters? :-p

A snowy owl that caused quite a stir in the area (western Ohio) was found dead, it appearently starved to death.See link on story below;

http://examiner.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28447%3Ahardin-countys-snowy-owl-found-dead&catid=34%3Alocal-news&Itemid=55

Too bad the fence rows and thickets we hunted as kids are all gone, the owl would have had no trouble finding food as they were full of game. Between habitat loss, chemicals, and developement only a remnant of the birds and wild mammals remain. Our lawns were covered with honey bees on the wild clover that grew there, the clover remains but the bees are gone!

It's not just the effect of agriculture either although things are out of hand with all the GMO grain and pest control. Urban sprawl has brought the plague of lawn treatment chemicals; our neighbors don't have any broad leaves or dandelions but we don't have any birds either. More than once we found dead birds (robins, wrens etc.) right after neighbors treated lawns and flower beds for weeds and insects. Our lawn was full of frogs when I was a kid in the 60's....all gone.

The little creek next to my Dad's house in farm country is now a sterile ditch, no trees and brush, no crawdads, no minows, no turtles....nothing! While we shun the use of chemicals on our property our garden and trees have been "burnt" or wilted and some even killed by drifting sprays used on the farm next door. As a child we hardly ever heard of someone dying of cancer now a myriad of ailments are present, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out! ( If the bad food doesn't get us the poison air will!)

We live in a world of convenieces that has come with price, however it's been good for the clinics, hospitals and pill-pushers. The owls aren't the only thing in trouble and a good economy means little when you lie dying from the effects of progress. With the economy being what it is one wonders who the real winner is.

@Let-me-just-say: Ike's a troll. Don't bother with this one.

Ike , been walking up right long?

I etched a negative space snowy owl in the 8th grade as a project.. ; ]

Im just saying for those of YOU keeping score. ;]

Cheers

current score tally:

Those who etched a negative space snowy owl in 8th grade, since 1900: 73

Those who have not etched a negative space snowy owl in 8th grade, since 1900: 805,582,233.

we can only feel sorry.....bs leave the owls alone

@Hope: A very logical scenario. By humanity's thoughtless, amazingly selfish habits, we disrupt the behavior of and actually condemn other inhabitants of the planet to death.

mozzie,

And what human thoughtlessness is causing this phenomenon? Global warming? Global warming happens - yes. It has happened before as has global cooling - over and over - for eons. It even happened on this earth BEFORE humans were around. Wow!

Be specific in your answer.

If you read the article apparently the owl's over breed last year. This year mother nature is rectifying the problem. Nature never did care for man's laws and never will.

NC: If you believe as I do that carbon emissions from automobiles and power plants, etc., are causing global warming, then our actions are altering the process of nature. I.e., the songbirds who migrate in the spring are staying away longer, and when they finally do arrive at their destination expecting food, there is none because the food source (bugs and new flowers) are already gone due spring having arrived early. This is one example only. There are myriad others.

Well, there may have been warming, but has it been man-made? The jury is still out on that. Check out the dailymail story on the subject: bit.ly/ weBRMJ

And maybe the owls are flying south because their food has been hurt by the cold weather this winter.

Spock. No, the jury is not still out. We are changing the climate, but this article has nothing to do with it.

Perhaps the solar activity is contributing to higher radiation levels in the northern areas. Perhaps these birds sense the possible danger and are instinctively moving south to "save a certain number" or just feel like it...for some reason.

I don't see where Ike's comment deserved a collapse by the so-called community. Seems some people can't stand the heat.

Ozzi: I don't see where Ike's comment deserved a collapse

Apparently you're the only one. His comments are ignorant.

Mozzie, Ozzi is correct about Ike's comment. (Mozzie, Ozzi and Ike, the new three stooges? Sorry...) When Ike said that humans should always have priority over animals, that is correct. However, some people would disagree with me, because we all naturally anthropomorphize animals, and some people go to the extreme - when they see even a fruit fly die, they get sad and angry.

The 2nd paragraph depends on the situation. Ike said, "As long as one person in africa is starving, you are a self-absorbed and ignorant person following an a-moral compass if you are spending our limited resources trying to save owls, frogs, etc." Like many above stated, some animals are critical to a balanced eco-system, and if they go, other animals and people may die. Of course, the eco-system is remarkably adaptable - just look at how many animals went extinct in the past, and see how well it has adjusted. But I think we need to do better at both helping our 'fellow man', and protecting the environment.

I have been interested to note the adaptability of many species in the area where I live. We have had alot of construction and increase in human population, and I have actually seen many things adapting well to the change. We now have a pair of Red Tail hawks that have made our neighborhood part of their hunting territory. It is not unusual to see them perched in the highest tree branches or the top of telephone poles in a suburban subdivision. And the neighborhood ecosystem has picked up a Great Horned Owl who is particularly fond of the large evergreen tree in my neighbor's yard. My backyard has been visited by oppossum, raccoon, both red and gray squirrels, and we have even sighted coyote and fox in the neighboring park district lands. Last summer, we had gold finches nesting in our tree, along with the usual robins, cardinals, and blue jays. If you remember, years back, there was a program where the Perregrine Falcon was introduced into New York City and used the skyscrapers in the same way it would have used rock ledges. Those birds of prey found plentiful rodents to hunt in the urban environment. Perhaps what we are seeing is an attempt by a species to make adaptation to new environments, and unfortunately, not all will survive the transition. Those that do however, will be the strongest and most resourceful of their species moving forward.

Party - When Ike said that humans should always have priority over animals, that is correct.

You couldn't be more wrong. We all come from the same energy Source. That fact makes us all equal. No being is "better than" any other. The only reason humanity has assumed the role of superior being on this planet is because of technology. And sadly, as Arthur Schopenhauer said: "Human beings have made Earth a living hell for animals. We treat them as food have made them our slaves." This is unforgivable.

now THATS the best one i have read on here for a long time Early...thanks for the chuckle and kudos to you....wonder how many on here wont get it?

Thilly bunth!I do NOT have a lithp!

LMAO!!!!!!!! Doubling up and seconding the KKudos!!!! (Even though I don't get it!) I just took a look to see what kind of comments could possibly be here! You know, it's Sunday Paper Day.

Thanks for the laugh, Gromit!

Great joke Early! Maybe Arizona will try to evict them as illegal aliens. Or register them as Republicans and let them vote. They can't be any worst, than their human counter parts.

is what you are mathematically speaking of/looking for called "fractal" math/theory???

It is called complexity theory.

I thought the boom and bust cycle of the lemming population was every 7 years and that accounted for sightings of the Snowy Owl far outside it's arctic territory. I haven't seen a Snowy Owl in northern Indiana since 1981. If I do spot one I hope it's healthy. Alot of competition for food around here from falcons, hawks and eagles. The rabbit population has declined in the last few years, too.

What beautiful creatures. Ahhh----- the miracle of life.

Fractal mathematics, Chaos Theory (specifically the mathematical aspects) and Complexity theory (which does not have any fundamentally new mathematics, merely the application of established techniques in new ways) are all related.

What I find most interesting (as a person with a strong physics/math background) is that much of what is being learned in these areas can be applied to a wide variety of applications that were never even considered.

yes...speak oh wise and knowing owl. tell us of your greatness and our follys..we shall all bow down and worship you and give praise and thanks for your abundant knowledge.......or is that owl-ledge................:)

rebeljake,

OK. What are they trying to tell us? That things change? Dang, I already knew that one.

You mean like when the elephants broke free from their tethers and headed inland...all at once,just hours before the Indonesian earthquake and tsunami that killed 250.000? Or when the dogs and livestock did the same thing just before the same earthquake?

Come on people, don't be silly/stupid. The owls are trying to tell you people, no matter what you do, DO NOT VOTE FOR EITHER THAT NEWT THINGY, OR THAT DOUCHE, ROMNEY....WHOO, WHOOO!!!!

Simple minds give simple answers.

Um, no, these are *Snowy* Owls; they live in the Arctic for the most part (please note the exceptional coloring adapted to live there) and how cold it is doesn't affect Snowy behavior. If they are coming this far south there are a couple of possible reasons:

1. A mass die off by their food source where they usually live. We saw this a few years ago; I believe it was a vole die off and some people were lucky enough to see Great Grey Owls further south than their normal range.

2. An unusual overabundance of food, thereby putting the number of surviving chicks at higher number than normal, forcing some of these to relocate south in order to find territory and food. Many of these migrants are too thin and will die, however, some are doing well and may possibly remain farther south than their former range.

Either way, they're magnificent birds and we are lucky to see them. I didn't see my first one until I was almost 50 and this year I think I've seen a number almost equal to my age.

Crazy --- Sometimes, the simple answer is the correct answer.

The truth is up north it is extremely cold. Not to mention that warming of the planet hasn't happened for 15 years even though CO2 has greatly increased.

www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2093264/Forget-global-warming--Cycle-25-need-worry-NASA-scientists-right-Thames-freezing-again.html

Perhaps the sun does play a role?

Anna: " Not to mention that warming of the planet hasn't happened for 15 years"

Who told you that? You need new sources of information.

NASA

TRY THE LINK

NASA isn't even in the article. It is an article in a conservative tabloid written by a prolific climate change denier.

manmade climate change is bulls----,period!!!!

LOL. Just wait, Harry, it will be obvious even to you, eventually.

meh1956

I'm sure all the intellectual owls got together to debate en-mass that they should fly farther south this year to mess with our heads. LOL

It could also be the northern lights affecting this migration, or their prey.

Maybe the snow-pack is too hard. Hmm maybe I'll apply for that grant.

Let me guess - you watch only "reality" shows on TV, right?

Your intellectual curiosity is truly impressive.

Zero comments = nobody cares msnbc.

And yet you're comment number 7.

i would guess...your just applying for a job in the msnbc "b.s. numbers" department... right?.........:)

when it comes to owls... we give a hoot...

Someone seems to be jealous of the attention that these good-looking owls are getting... Though it's a shame that their own habitat isn't sustaining them, they are welcome anytime to the rodent population on my property!

Gee, Ike, go troll the religious sites then. I'm sure they would love to read your scintillating comments.

I don't care if it's a legal offense or not. It IS an offense to all who respect life. How could anyone justify this action with that lame excuse??? There are large birds everywhere. Why was everyone so bothered about this Snowy Owl??? Yes, this is most definitely and WTF and stupid - glaringly.

To observe wildlife is pure wisdom as they have survived and adapted over the centuries. Humans have much to learn from them. We are the bulls in the china shop. We break and destroy and ask : what happened ?

Unfortunately, it is not a federal offense to shoot a Snowy Owl in Hawaii. They're really funny about invasive species there (and for good reason, look at the almost total demise of their island goose because of the invaders) and they did attempt to trap the Snowy before they ultimately killed it.

It almost made me weep; we don't have so many of these birds that I like to see a single one meet their demise. Still, having a bird that size hanging around the airport is a real hazard and unfortunately they couldn't just let it stay there. They did, to their credit, at least try to catch the bird and relocate it before they killed it.

Mans only true answer to anything is to kill. Unless it's a monster of a human being who has killed other humans then we take care of them at tax payer expense.

The ignorant shooter at the Hawaiian airport should be in jail! That could have at worst captured the bird and put it on display at the Honolulu zoo as it's certainly worth more alive than dead.

They tried to trap it, but unfortunately they couldn't, nor could they scare it off. The only other option was to shoot it before it got sucked up into an airliner's engine and crashed, causing the deaths of hundreds. It's terrible, but it would have been much more ignorant and dangerous to leave it. Even a sparrow can down a 747.

Not if the Feds shot it. They don't have to worry about those laws.

Depends on whether the airport acquired a depredation permit. But, regardless, it's still a pretty crappy move.

A Snowy Owl in Hawaii? Must have been one helluva tail wind. That's 2800 miles folks. Had to have hitched a ride on a boat.

Living here is Hawaii we were shocked as well...yes we agree.. WTF! The papers tried to sweep it under the carpet so the public wouldn't find out about it. But when the story broke in another State the local papers HAD TO finally cover this murder. So much for Aloha! What the Feds did by shooting this owl leaves many of us speechless. The Feds must be held accountable for this unnecessary act!

If you're surprised at the distances these birds can fly--you need to look at some flyway maps. Some of the larger breeds commute between North and South America. These birds have FIVE FOOT Wingspans--get up and measure that-it's NOT insignificant. And their claws look like a drawer full of knives, they can see in the dark, and once they get acclimatized, they might just STAY. Anybody with a pet smaller than a beagle had best take precautions.

That owl wouldn't leave the airport grounds - it posed a great danger to any aircraft taking off or landing. It had to be taken out. Why? If that Snow Owl came into contact with a jet's engine, disrupted it's power, and then caused a crash, potentially hundreds of lives could have been lost.

I'm an Environmentalist myself, but there are limits; one Snow Owl does not compare to the loss of a human life. Human Life is sacrosanct - that Owl had to go.

Maybe it was a haole owly. :)

Ouch - that was bad! But in all seriousness, if they eat geese, they should be satisfied over much of the lower 48; maybe then some of the Canada geese that have been staying year round will once again become migratory....

Poor stupid humans...we can put a man on the moon but cannot find a way to catch an owl? It is like a fat cop...can't run down the perp so they just shoot them and know they will get away with it.

A flock of any kind of bird can be a threat to jets, but come on...one stinkin' owl who was just recovering from a trans-ocean flight? Hope the shooter feels like a real he-man.

Sorry, but an owl can NOT take down a 747. There are whole swaths of seagulls that hang around airports, not to mention MANY smaller species of birds. If that were the case they'd be shooting all kinds of birds practically everyday of the week.

They test the engines of these aircraft by blowing whole chickens into the turbines with an air-gun at point blank range. Those turbine blades are not made of rinky dink metals but of high tensile strength alloys that have to endure extreme pressures, temps, and possible (and eventual) bird strikes. I'm sure an underlying cause for shooting this owl was because of it causing delays with departures and arrivals of a good number of aircraft.

Like the saying goes; time is money. And if you happen to be the one wasting time and costing money, then prepare to feel the wrath of those who are loosing the money. No matter who or what you are.

GeezString - well stated. Folks? Is anyone listening?

Curb your breeding voluntarily now while it's a choice. Later on it won't be so fun.

Yes, there is climate change, but this has nothing to do with it.

seems like it may soon be time for massive re-cycling....as nothing really improves.

Wouldn't an over-population of lemmings, causing a over-population of owls, be caused by a lack of ground based predators like the fox?? ?

Geez- Maybe someone should spend a little more time studying Geology first before freaking out about population control...

Hope-29512 please send me your address so I can send you a voucher for a spaying or neutering.....

scar

Yes. Unless the snow is too deep or has an ice coating preventing them from hitting the mice/lemmings as they move around under the snow. Ice covered snow is really bad for the owls. They can (and do) break toes and even leg bones going after mice/voles/lemmings.

3 snowy owls at the MN Raptor center now:

http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/MedicalServices/home.html

population control is already here; it's just not here in the united states.

too bad. the US needs to have population control. mostly of us humans that keep breeding to live off the government dole for generations

Doesn't anyone look for their own answers anymore? Go to: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/11/031104063521.htm and learn about the 4 year cycle...yes, it's a study and it explains a lot about lemming populations cycling from boom years to bust years.

Sorry, I just got tired of reading all of the speculation and unfounded theory's, including all of the experts here who cry climate change at everything, so I checked it out for myself.

I think the kind of people who need that message are NOT reading or commenting on this or any other site.

We need to do something to the water...or the cheap beer.

Yea, I already know that what I wrote is wrong in so many ways. Sue me.

Your stupid, these owls love the cold... From Minnesota

Pointless,

I'm sorry but what exactly does population control and geology have to do with each other? I guess I'm just a little confused on the point you're trying to make.

"Climate change" is a scam. Give more money to Al Gore and all will be better. Don't you get it? You're being taken for a ride.

William, Al Gore is a politician. I get my science from scientists, most of whom are quite confident that we are changing the climate. Even if you think they are mistaken, calling it a "scam" is both ignorant and disrespectful.

It is really difficult to be deprogrammed after being brainwashed.

I guess you agree with the scientists who promote global warming/climate change while getting paid for doing so via grants, kickbacks, and other standard corruption techniques.

Solyndra was an awesome investment in "green energy" wasn't it? Get a life, buddy. You're not as bright as you think you are.

what you fail to mention is outside of solydandra the other green tech companies are thriving - there were many govt assisted alternative energy companies that are turning good profits - hiring people and helping with our energy needs- this fox talking point about solyandra is getting old- 1 or two failed companies among hundreds thriving is merely political partisanship! Everyone can agree Solyandra was a failure- however the alternative energy market is thriving and we dont do it China and europe will

Scientific grants are normally given after careful review, and are not a "corruption technique." Climate is important enough that we would need climate scientists at NOAA, NASA and other agencies regardless of the changes. And as for Solyndra, you can blame that one on the cheap imports; both solar and wind power are being installed at record rates.

Jenkins - You simply cannot claim that global warming does not exist. There is geological evidence that Earth has undergone many climate changes in the past. What about the Ice Age? What about the Little Ice Age? What about the Medieval Climate Optimum? What about the significant increases in temperature that were recorded during the Industrial Revolution?

If you honestly believe that climate change does not exist one way or the other, you are the one who has been brainwashed my good sir. There is all kinds of evidence that proves dramatic climate shifts in the past (icecores, tree rings, ocean sediment, boreholes, etc). As for the impact of the human race on climate change? The plain, simple fact of the matter is that we do not know for certain how much or how little impact we have on global conditions. Even professionals are willing to admit that, though they have what they believe to be significant evidence, they do not know for sure. So why can't you?

Be careful what you pass off as "fact". Among some cultures it was once a "fact" that the world was flat, and that the sun revloved around Earth. Those people believed just as firmly that they were right as you seem to.

Actually EMB1853047 I challenge you to name one single "green tech" company that is turning an actual profit ... and I don't mean profit as a result of government subsidies .. I mean profit in that they produce a product and sell it at a price sufficient to cover all production/sales costs ... I issue this challenge because I know that you cannot do it .. .because there is no such company ... maybe someday, but not yet.

William" I hate to tell you and other naysayers, but the best time to concern ourselves with climate change was about 80 year ago, the next best time is NOW.

WilliamJenkins, what does the investment potetnail of Solyndra have to do with the science of CO2 as a greenhouse gas? (or snowy owls, for that matter)

At least I'm brighter than you.

All that is left to us is "the long run." In the long run, we have already passed the "tipping" point...that point of no return. we have polluted the earth with PEOPLE. All the trash, in the air or on the ground, all the filth we poured into the oceans and all the food we took out of them are all contributing to the end of life as we know it in the very near future.

Every boil comes to a head and pops. Every embryo spends only a certain amount of time in the womb...or shell. We were given a lot of rope...but sooner or later we will get to the end of it. Disease, lack of food or water, a nut job with a bomb or a falling star will finally do us in.

I really think it will all be over soon for most of us, one way or the other. I for one look forward to it.

WilliamJenkins,

There's a much stronger money trail leading to the climate-change deniers. Most of them are being paid directly or indirectly by oil companies or other greenhouse-gas-emitting industries. The rest have ideological axes to grind.

Climate change is complex- no one knows exactly how it's going to play out. Some places will be colder, some hotter, but it averages out to be warmer over all. About the only things that can be predicted for sure are that more energy in the system will lead to more extremes, and that things will be different, for the most part.

If you look at any one phenomenon, it's hard to prove that it's the result of global warming. It's the patterns that matter. I honestly don't know if the owl migrations are caused by global warming. There are lots of factors, many of which we don't understand. But there have been so many unusual occurrences like this, that it strains credibility to say there isn't something afoot- with human-caused climate change being the most likely suspect.

Alcabiades,

Sun Edison. They're a solar panel (among other things) production company that's turning a profit without any government subsidies. Besides, what difference does it make if they do get help from the government? The fact remains our world is changing and we humans are having an ever growing impact on that change.

i saw two of them...it was a nice set of hooters...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvG3xbJofxI

You can mock all you want the science backs up everything I say. Were is the mockers proof except shilling and putting people down? What is your agenda? Owls are sensitive as are all birds. If you had methane pouring out into your house you would die or leave. Here you go methane plums as artic ice retreats

dude i've seen them in russia were...they drive a pipe in the melting snow and light it...and yes the ice is melting and it's a catastrophic event for the environment...lot's of methane ...oh well...ain't a hell of a lot we can do...chill...

how much methane...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM0hczFNDZI

Those chemicals have seeped into your brain. It happens through the posterior pole of the occipital lobe, and degrades the myelin. Pretty soon you think you're an all-knowing visionary, and that the rest of the world wears bifocals. No one will tell you these things at the psych ward, they'll just drug you up.

Even most climate change deniers know science better than that.

Oh wow, you really have the science nailed, haven't you, cwig1?

boys...boys...cwlg1 has a point. Global warming is real but there is competition as well. EIther way, I think we are screwed. Wait until the global alignment of 12/12......and see what events transpire......save some money, just in case....but you may want to enjoy yourself while you can.

What would methane's toxicity have to do with global warming? The greenhouse effect has nothing to do with effect on biology. And the carbon 13 and carbon 14 'chemicals'? You realize carbon 12, 13 and 14 all have the same chemical properties, only nuclear differences? At this point I have no choice but to believe you are joking.

Well, it sure is not going to be on the evening news either. Best not upset the sheeples.

Sorry but post glacial rebound theory states that when an area once covered by a glacier, then that glacier melts, that entire area rises or 'rebounds' from the weight being releived from it. It has nothing to do with nuclear fallout.

The water table varies quite abit from one region to another. Along the coasts the water table is generally very close to the surface. Hence, this is the reason why people are buried above ground in southern Louisiana. If you go into areas such as Colorado, the water table is much further from the surface. The water table does not have that much to do with the movement of the tectonic plates as much as the overlying strata or the thickness or weight of that strata.

Methane is a VERY potent greenhouse gas. The warmer the planet becomes the more permafrost melts which leads to more methane released into the atmosphere. It eventually turns into a vicious cycle that we are already witnessing in MANY parts of the world.

.....they taste a lot like bald eagles.....

i can just see the turf battles starting now between them and the spotted owls......but at least they eat those pesky snail darters...............:)

taste more like Takahee...

yes

SOME of us. The rest kill the buffalo just for the skins and leave the meat to rot and shoot the passenger pigeon just for sport.

cant get many passengers on those dang pigeons anyway.......:)

2012? think they want to get in before hand so they too can be granted blanket amnesty? just think of it....free rats !! dont gotta go flying around looking for em, just go apply for your government issued rat stamp card...not to mention free vet care, a low or no rent nest....and a whole host of other freebies....wow...these are some smart critters........:)

(sorry to go all political on ya folks i just simply couldnt resist)

Alaska and the Arctic region are having the coldest winter that they have had in over 50 years. So much for the Global warming.

EEEK........ Global Warming !!!!.....run away, run away......Eeeeek......

Actually, it's colder than normal in Alaska this year because the Jet Stream isn't allowing the cold air to move south; has nothing to do with the Earth's average temperature. 2010 was tied for the warmest year on record, and 2011 was the warmest La Nina year on record.

Neither the snowy owl irruption or the weather in Alaska have anything to do with global warming.

Ever heard of spell check?

If you're objecting to "irruption", that's the correct spelling. Look it up

I saw 2 of them on Braddock Mtn., MD a couple years ago. I've lived in the area for most of my life and had never seen any until then. They are magnificent to see!

Maybe. I myself don't know why they're migrating south. Maybe they're overpopulated and are being forced south for territorial reasons? Like the article said, they don't have good statistics due to the remote areas where they normally live.

Best answer on this whole freaking page!

Except the Battle of Hogwarts would have been in 1997. Must be a different Dark Lord.

We Muggles are typically ignorant of what's going on. Looks l like Hogwarts has been rebuilt and the professors and students are getting mass owl-posts to come on back.

It's revenge for Rowling killing off Hedwig in such an ignoble fashion (falling from Hagrid's sidecar). The only reason they don't kill us all is because the movie version at least had Hedwig die a hero's death. :)

@Ken Mc: The movie depicted that MUCH better than the book; an opinion I don't think I've ever admitted to anybody before.

HEDWIG DIED??!!!!!! I did not see the flick yet:(

EEEEK its the end of times...snow...fire...cats sleeping with dogs...gloom and doom...oh whoa is us......

That's "woe" is us. Typical, however, for an ignorant Iowa (Idiots Out Wandering Around) wanna-be biker.

If the poles shifted, maybe they're not actually flying south, but rather, north :p?

Glad I live in Idaho!

What?? Are you saying the Earth is going to flip end-over-end??? Now a magnetic pole shift, yes. The Earth flipping over, NO.

It probably does. But events can have more than one cause.

The tundra where the snowy owl normally resides is beginning to release huge amounts of stored methane as the permafrost melts, this may also have something to do with the mass migration.

If its the methane they're flying away from, we'll no if sure if they don't go as far south as Mexico.

Methane is odorless and harmless, unless it accumulates in high enough concentrations to burn or to displace breathable air. The main problem is that it's a stronger greenhouse gas than CO2.

Good shot, Floyd, except for calling them jokes. Aren't jokes supposed to have humor in them? These fools are just pimping their hands.

Who cares if you listen you appear to have a closed mind.

I live in Northridge CA up in the foothills( its actually Porter Ranch). Recently we have spotted two Arctic Snowy Owls living in our neighborhood. They have a wing span of about 3 feet and make a loud clicking noise as they fly overhead. We also have had a lot of "lost Cat" signs going up in the neighborhood. I have to agree with RexinMinn:The bottom line is that we've become so accustomed to doing damage to the environment on a daily basis that it has become the norm and we simply cannot abide by the thought of changing that and going to greener forms of energy production. Unless, that is, we are courageous and forward thinkers.

Seven, what exactly does knowing any of those things have to do with an article about snowy owls?? Learn geology, egyptology, cryptozoology, and ancient druid history to find the answers to your questions.