On Jan 11, 2005, at 11:34 AM, [email protected] (Sharon Stiteler) wrote: Also, how stressed can an owl be when it is actively hunting while two trains are moving underneath it while it's perched on a telephone wire overhead?
==== These owls do not have the luxury of taking a day off when they feel stressed. The act of hunting cannot be considered a sign of little or no stress. It is simply what the owl must do to survive, regardless of condition. These birds must hunt successfully or die. Nor can the owls' response to trains or vehicles or people be used as measurement of the owls' condition. It is likely that most of these birds have had few if any previous encounters with trains, vehicles, and people prior to recent weeks. The lack of response in encounter situations might well be indicative of lack of knowledge about how best to respond as opposed to a chosen response. Jim Williams Wayzata
