A real hoot: Bird lovers flock to Vancouver park for glimpse of baby barred owls – BC

Wildlife lovers are flocking to a park on Vancouver’s west side to catch a glimpse of a young family of barred owls.

The nest is located in a tree in Douglas Park that has been fenced off to give the owls and young owlets some space.

Visitors are being reminded to keep their distance so as not to distress the birds.

“It’s always nice to see animals,” owl watcher Alan Garr told Global News as he peered through a pair of binoculars.

“I think there are a lot of owls in our city, a lot of raptors, too. We just don’t see them that well, but this is a great shot.”

Another observer said he’d just moved into the neighbourhood and was delighted by the birds.

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“That’s one of the things people love about Vancouver and B.C. is we’ve got these great green spaces,” he said.

“We come by the park every day and have seen them kind of pre-hatch, start to peek their heads out, and now one of them is up in a tree surrounded by crows, so it’s kind of nerve-wracking.”

Barred owls are native to eastern Canada, and can be found throughout B.C.

They have adapted to live in cities, where they feed on songbirds and rats.

The city is reminding people to stay outside of the fenced area, to keep quiet, and to keep any dogs on a leash.

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