Biologist urges photographers to leave burrowing owls alone

Photographers are being asked to keep their cameras in their bags when they come across burrowing owls, so they don't risk stressing out the endangered birds.  

The birds may be cute and photogenic but they're rare, says biologist Lia McKinnon with the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of B.C. 

Burrowing owls are considered one of the most endangered birds in Canada by the Canadian Wildlife Federation. They nest in open grasslands in B.C.'s Interior, throughout the Okanagan and into the Thompson-Nicola region.

McKinnon, who lives and works in Penticton, estimates there are only about 70 burrowing owls in B.C. — so disturbing them could have serious consequences.

"There are lots and lots of photographers that are very interested in getting the perfect picture," McKinnon told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops guest host Doug Herbert. 

"It's a matter of people getting a little too close to them and scaring the owls off and maybe interfering with them living their lives the way they should be."

The presence of humans stresses the birds out, particularly if they're near their nest, and, as McKinnon points out, stress isn't healthy for anyone, or any bird.

"It's the same kind of physiological response that people have … you know, the high blood pressure and everything else, and makes you more susceptible to other things," McKinnon said.

She said the predatory appearance of photographers as they slowly approach a nest can particularly stress the birds because they are acting like a potential threat.

McKinnon also said some people try to bait the birds to try to get them to come closer. 

McKinnon says she has taken many photos of burrowing owls herself as part of her research, and noticed that the birds have been stressed out by her presence. 

The bird may get scared and fly away, and send a call to other owls alerting them of the threat. But the owls will always return to their nest, and McKinnon says people often assume the bird's behaviour upon its return — quiet and apparently unbothered by a human — means it's OK with a person being there. 

Additionally, right now burrowing owls have owlettes in their nests, which means they should be out hunting to feed their young. 

"If they're stressed out and they're watching you then they're not out hunting the way they should be right now," McKinnon said. 

She said the best thing to do if you're itching to get a photo of a burrowing owl is to purchase one from a fellow photographer. 

"There are so many great photos that have already been taken of burrowing owls and I know people want to take their own — but go out and support another photographer," she said.