toronto park owls

Photographers flock to Toronto park to get a shot of owls

It's not an everyday occurrence to see owls in the city unless they get stuck at a mall or if you visit the zoo, so when one is seen in a park, it's kind of a big deal.

Various owls have been spotted at a park in Toronto this winter, with numerous photographers flocking to the park to try and get shots of the owls.

There have been sightings of long-eared owls, short-eared owls, saw-whet owls, and the snowy owl all roosting.

With the news of this sighting, many eager wildlife photographers have been trying to get a photo of the birds, with some even trampling on ecologically sensitive areas just to get a closer look.

There have even been reports of people poorly treating the birds, including throwing things at the owls and even shaking their trees, creating great stress on them.

Not only are photographers not keeping a respectful distance from the birds, but park visitors have also been seen trying to get closer to the birds, all while scaring them.

"While the majority of park visitors are respectful, some are unaware that their activities may be putting the wildlife in distress, or are more focused on getting their perfect Instagram picture," says a spokesperson.

In order to protect the birds and wildlife, the park has put up temporary fences and signs in the area to keep visitors on the trail, in addition to the extra security.

The park asks visitors to respect and not disturb all the wildlife at the park.

This article has been edited to remove the name of the park.

Lead photo by

Tony Mo


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

What's open and closed on Victoria Day 2024 in Toronto

The breathtaking Mast Trail in Toronto follows a 200-year-old logging route

Moore Park Ravine is an escape from the city in midtown Toronto

The history of what was once Toronto's grandest mansion

This is how Toronto celebrated Victoria Day over 100 years ago

You can take in breathtaking valley views along the Vista Rouge Trail in Toronto

Downsview Park in Toronto is a massive urban park around an artificial lake

Canada is seeing one of the worst standard-of-living declines in 40 years