04/16/2026
Oh no! So many bird lovers were excited about this guy. π π¦
This morning our staff received a call that we have been dreading for weeks now. A Snowy Owl was found down on the ground, near Coffee Creek, and unresponsive. One of our team dispatched to the area and were able to recover a deceased Snowy Owl found directly underneath a powerline.
A necropsy, performed at our center, confirmed that this, sadly, is the Snowy Owl who had taken up residence near Culvers in Chesterton that our community has been rallying around for weeks. Staff was able to match the bare spot on the left wrist and feather pattern to images shared on social media. The necropsy also revealed that the cause of death was electrocution. With burns on both feet and its right wing, it appears death was very sudden and thankfully this bird did not suffer. The right wing was also fractured beyond repair, with the distal part of the radius and ulna and wrist detached from the rest of the wing. The radius and ulnar bones themselves were also both burned.
Apart from the cause of death, the owl was in fair body condition. Its body weight was good for its size, and the bird maintaining fat pads showing that it was hunting sufficiently. The previous injury to its wrist was likely causing discomfort, as the joint itself clicked when flexed. This is indicative of its previous trauma to that region and ongoing trauma to that joint.
Bird migration is one of the most demanding feats in the natural world. Many species travel hundreds or even thousands of miles twice each year to reach breeding or wintering grounds. These journeys require enormous energy, precise timing, and access to safe places to rest and refuel.
Migratory birds have an endless number of hardships to endure when moving across that range.
β’ Habitat loss β Wetlands, forests, and grasslands used as stopover sites are disappearing due to development and agriculture, leaving birds with fewer places to rest and find food.
β’ Climate change β Shifting temperatures and weather patterns can cause birds to arrive too early or too late for peak food availability, increasing starvation risk.
β’ Human-made obstacles β Glass buildings, powerlines, wind turbines, and nighttime lighting can disorient birds and cause fatal collisions.
β’ Exhaustion and starvation β Many birds fly long distances without stopping; if suitable food sources arenβt available, they may not survive the journey.
β’ Predation and pollution β Migrating birds are vulnerable to predators and to toxins such as pesticides and plastic pollution.
Protecting these routes is essential for bird survival and for maintaining balanced ecosystems.
For over 40 days our community was able to fall in love with an owl rarely seen in our area by so many. Its popularity, due to its centralized hunting location and tendency to stay in the open, drew crowds that forced our community to acknowledge the importance of respecting an animal's space. It also raised awareness about threats this particular bird could directly be impacted by. Concerns wrung out throughout the community about its proximity to Rt. 49 or to buildings who could be utilizing rodenticides. As a community we had the invaluable opportunity to see it hunt and rest. Parents brought children, birders traveled hours, for the opportunity to get a glimpse of 'Chesterton's Snowy Owl'.
Thank you to all those who shared their love, concern, and respect for this owl. Like so many birds that migrate each spring and fall, the challenges they face mean many will never return home.
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