Virtual Owl Friday – Snowy Owls in the Arctic

Arctic birds like the snowy owl, rough-legged hawk, and gyrfalcon need to consume small mammals in order to survive. But how much do their food habits change with the availability of prey in this seasonal place? Since 2004, Dr. Therrien and his colleagues have been studying the movement ecology of these incredible raptors on a continental scale. Using satellite telemetry, they’ve illuminated a surprising behavior of snowy owls, firmly linking the terrestrial arctic to ocean ecosystems.

Meet Jean-Francois Therrien, Ph.D.

Dr. Therrien is a Senior Scientist at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary since 2011, working on various aspects of raptor conservation science such as satellite tracking of peregrine falcons, Turkey vultures and snowy owls, monitoring American kestrel breeding populations and monitoring of North American migratory raptors passing over the Sanctuary.