"Where they were shooting… they say, oh, that’s just rubble land. But its a place that for the past 30 years has served as a favourite winter roosting place for snowy owls," said Ed O'Connor in an interview with CBC Toronto.

Test results show that two snowy owls found dead in Tommy Thompson Park late last year died because they were infected with a "highly pathogenic" avian flu, according to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.