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From: mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Owls and this time of year
Message-ID: <49387@olivea.atc.olivetti.com>
Date: 11 Sep 90 00:19:48 GMT
References: <GRP.90Sep7102106@magpie.unify.uucp>
Sender: news@olivea.atc.olivetti.com
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In article <GRP.90Sep7102106@magpie.unify.uucp>, grp@unify.uucp (Greg Pasquariello) writes:
> 
> I was talking to my brother in NJ this weekend, and he told me that the
> local screech owls were very vocal again.  This reminded me that, for the
> past 4 or 5 years, I have noticed that the screech owls were always very
> vocal in the first couple weeks in September.  Then, this week, I began
> hearing western screech owls and northern pygmy owl in my own yard, for 
> the first time, and they can be heard almost every night.
> 
> Now, assuming these species are truly non-migratory, and I am not getting
> an influx of new individuals, does anyone have any ideas why this might be?
> I've not seen any literature on the subject, and I am truly curious.

	I found the following reference to screech owls in "Owls of
North America":

	"The calls heard in late summer and autumn are most often
family calls, presumably given so the birds can keep track of one
another and remain comparatively close as a family unit while they
range in search of food."

Mike