A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM

Today’s the last day of October, so we here at Project Phoenix want to wish you all a very happy Owl-ween! (And Halloween!) To celebrate, we’ve curated an extra special ~spooky~ edition of our newsletter. We hope it helps to kick off your celebrations, whether it’s staying in and watching a scary movie (may I suggest, Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds), visiting a haunted (bird)house, or going trick-or-tweeting, we hope you have a spooktacular time!

I have run out of puns, so I will leave you all with well wishes for tonight, and as always, safe and happy birding!

FAQ: Should I adjust my survey time for the end of Daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time ends this weekend! Although our clocks might "fall back" on Sunday, birds will continue to time their activities with the rising and setting of the sun. So, should you adjust the time you conduct your weekly surveys? That's up to you! You might prefer to start your surveys one hour earlier, as you may have more light and would be able to observe birds at the same time relative to sunrise/sunset and their activity may therefore be more consistent across your surveys. But, this might not work for your schedule – and that's okay! We will be accounting for changes in sunrise/sunset and other aspects of seasonality in our analysis, and we have many tricks up our sleeves to be sure that we have considered any changes in bird activity due to the times folks conduct their surveys.

TL;DR: It's totally your choice!

We love to hear from our volunteers! What motivated you to join Project Phoenix? Click here to share your story.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore…

… like how the Common Raven became a symbol of Halloween (forevermore). In cultures around the world, ravens have been associated with magic. In Celtic mythology, a trio of ravens was thought to represent the goddess Morrighan. In Welsh myths, ravens are sometimes viewed as a harbinger of death. But, it was likely Edgar Allen Poe’s conflation of the raven with evil in his 1845 poem, The Raven, that cemented the role of the raven in Halloween lore.

Those of us who love birds know that the raven isn’t a fearsome creature, but they are certainly fascinating. Common Ravens are incredibly intelligent; for example, they have been observed working in pairs, one distracting an incubating bird while the other raids the nest. Ravens are also talented mimics, and when they are raised in captivity, ravens can learn to speak human languages. They are also a delight to watch! Ravens are very playful and often seen performing wonderful aerial aerobatics – diving, rolling, and dropping and catching objects are just some of the antics you might observe! You can find Common Ravens in the Western U.S., Mexico, and Canada. While ravens do live near humans, they are usually found in more rural areas. You’ll find them eating a wide range of foods across these varying habitats, including grains, berries, and nestlings - as well as human foods like garbage or unattended food items!

EVENT: Bird Hike at Griffith Park

Join Project Phoenix volunteer extraordinaire, Carrie Brown-Kornarens, and Project Phoenix researchers for a morning bird hike at Griffith Park’s Western Canyon on Saturday, November 2nd, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Family and friends are encouraged to join as well!

RSVP for more details by emailing us at projectphoenix.socal@gmail.com. We hope to see you there!

VIRTUAL EVENT: Community is Key Seminar

Project Phoenix Program Director, Dr. Olivia Sanderfoot, is giving a virtual seminar about engaging communities to advance our understanding of air pollution impacts on birds for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago. The virtual seminar will take place on Thursday, November 7th at 6:00 p.m. CT (4:00 p.m. PST). It is free for all and anyone is welcome to attend. RSVPs are required, so register today!

FEATURED STORY: Happy Owl-ween!

By Sophia Kiker and Caitlin O’Neil

Just like ravens, owls have become synonymous with Halloween. Flying silently overhead, hiding out in trees, staring at you with their large, bright eyes - it’s no surprise owls are associated with this spooky holiday! Owls have been linked to magic and witchcraft as early as Ancient Rome. Ancient Romans believed that owls were simply witches that had transformed themselves into birds to fly and gather together. While today we know better, the connection between witches and owls is still going strong in pop culture.

Owls are able to fly silently due to the structure of their feathers. The forward edges of their wing feathers have comb-like serrations that break up the air stream, muffling what would otherwise be a wooshing sound. Silent flight is thought to have evolved in owls to help them stealthily track and hunt their prey.

Owls have very large eyes – another helpful adaptation that makes them ruthless hunters. Owls’ eyes can make up to 5% of their body weight (human eyes only take up 0.0003% of our body weight on average!) Their enormous eyes and pupils allow them to take in more light, improving their night vision. 

But, what about those owls who don’t hunt at night? Owls who hunt during the day are known as diurnal, rather than nocturnal. For example, the Burrowing Owl (which can be found in parts of California, Oregon, and Washington) hunts during the day and nests underground. In fact, it's the female Burrowing Owls that typically hunt during the day, catching insects, while males hunt at night, catching smaller vertebrates like mice and voles. The Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, and Short-eared Owl are other examples of diurnal owls.

A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM: Election Day

This upcoming Tuesday, November 5th, is Election Day! Voting in our local, state, and national elections is one of the best ways to support birds and other wildlife and safeguard our public lands. Here at Project Phoenix, we encourage you to cast your ballot on November 5th – or better yet, vote early! Your voice is urgently needed to help protect our planet and its wonderful wildlife. Every vote counts!

Find voting information for your state here:

• California 

• Oregon 

• Washington

Thank you to all our partners and supporting organizations!

Project Phoenix is grateful to our partners and all the supporting organizations who help our program soar. Visit our partners page to learn more about the incredible work of these non-profit organizations – from science to conservation to outdoor recreation, these orgs are dedicated to protecting our environment for people and the birds we love.