Dec 30, 2013 11:28 AM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

I thought birds migrated in the winter? Apparently not from the public eye.

Dinosaur's most direct descendants have been dominating the headlines recently, mostly because the Audubon Society's highly marketed annual count (and partially because of the 40^th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, of which its preceding legislation largely protected birds).

The latest news to strike bird nation is a recent influx of snowy owls in Connecticut, perhaps the largest population seen in the area in 50 years, the Courant reported. Of course, the National Audubon Society, in the form of its Connecticut branch, was there to comment on the more frequent than average sightings.

"Basically, they are just everywhere," Patrick M. Comins, director of bird conservation for Audubon Connecticut, told the Courant.

Whereas Connecticut reports just 1-3 snowy owl sightings in a typical season, at least a dozen different birds have been confirmed and possibly more; like fishing and catching the same one several times, it can be difficult to determine if multiple watchers are reporting the same bird, according to the Courant.

"It is hard to get a tally because you don't know if it is the same bird or other birds rotating in and out," Comins said.

Even so, appearances in a variety of towns, including Stratford, Milford, Waterford, Westport, Madison, and Bridgeport, mean many of the birds have descended on the state rather than one flying from town to town.

Snowy owls actually do migrate over the winter, from places even colder than the northeast. Though scientists can't pinpoint exactly where they come from, they typically arrive from Greenland, northern Quebec, and as far up as northern Northwest Territories in Canada, and their trips "can be incredibly long migrants," Comins said.

Brooklyn, NY experienced an even greater influx of Snowy Owls this year. More were seen over the most recent Christmas Count than in any previous year since the Audubon Society launched its annual holiday event in 1905, according to the Courant.

Their unexpected numbers could be attributed to a decline in artic lemings and vole populations (chipmunk-like mammals). Less food in their native habitats means more birds are forced to travel south. Some have become emaciated during their travels, but most have made it relatively healthy, according to the Curant.

A rise in the exotic birds has raised their profile in Connecticut and spurred an already popular bird season.

"The owl irruption is definitely bringing birders out," Mayo said. No, that's not a misspelling of "eruption," but the ecological term for a species' above average migration.

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