On Silent Wings

An article in the knoxnews.com discusses some of the characteristics of owl feathers that enable them to fly silently.  If you've ever had a large bird, like a Canada goose, fly low over head you know how much noise a bird in flight can make just by flapping its wings.

Many nocturnal owls in flight make little noise. The article points out that this is due to the types of feathers on the wings of these owls.  These feathers combine to reduce the amount of noise by breaking up the air flowing over the wings and absorbing the some of the remaining sound. The reduced noise makes it easier for the owl to detect prey and to avoid being detected by potential meals.

 

The author of the article makes the inevitable comparison to a stealth bomber so I'll oblige with a set of pics.

Mother Nature is a ....

San Francisco

An owl nest wired with a webcam is showing the start of a new family of barn owls (starrranch.org).
But, owlet 6 was born late. Smaller than its sibs & its having a tough time competing for the available food. I guess he's losing the battle.


Other examples that living in nature is no picnic:

• School of sardines suffocates in the water off of Redondo Beach and;
• gulls have fallen prey to a deadly mold that fells about 20 birds every month

For more, click here

Party On!!

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge

This Saturday night meet up at Doherty's, a local watering hole, and for $20 you can sip some brews and maybe catch sight of an owl at night.  A naturalist (naturally) from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island will lead the beer tasting and subsequent owl crawl. (7 to 9:30 p.m., reservations required)

I don't think this is what former Washington DC mayor, Marion Barry, meant when he proclaimed himself a "Night Owl". On second thought, maybe it is!

Read more here

Hey!  Why is the Audubon Society of Rhode Island located in  Seekonk, Massachusetts?  RI is really a small state!!

Not the Hand of God

It's not clear from the article but it seems that an owl landed on a football field and was intentionally booted by a player for one of the teams.  The owl later died.  Of course, after the game, the player was sorry after for what he had done.

Yet, another reason for the lack of popularity of soccer in the U.S.
Read about it here.

Don't bother knockin' if...

In many areas owls are working at creating a new generation.  Owls attempt to time the birth of their offspring to coincide with their peak hunting season when prey are plentiful.  This assists the owlets as they hone their hunting skills and increases the chances that there will be plenty of food for all of the new mouths.

Read more about it here.

Nature's Art

Look at this fantastic piece of owl art!!

This 'wing print',probably from a Barred owl is featured in an article in The Free Press here.

A young Barred owl flew into a window at Keene State College knocking itself silly.  The bird had just grabbed it's breakfast but due to low visibility slammed into the window and fell to the snow below.

Assisted by college do-gooders the owl, now named Woodsy, was rescued from her snowy fate.  Apparently Woodsy suffered the same injury as many an NFL player and was a bit concussed. She's doing well and should be released in the Spring.

BTW, the Keene State College mascot is the Owl. Read the full story here.

You know this winter has gone on for too long when...

it's Thursday night and for your weekend entertainment you are seriously considering:

Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge
Jump into the freezing cold waters of Twin Lakes Recreation area to raise money for the Special Olympics.
Palatine High School VIP Dinner Dance
27th annual dinner and auction event
The Bridge Beats the Winter Blues
Casual night of dinner and friendly but competitive games.


And, yes, even though I love owls, I want to scream,


Owl Prowl
Learn about the special adaptations owls have as silent predators and why they are important members of the wildlife community. Take a hike and try to lure owls out with recorded calls. Event is for adults only.
(Adults only!?!)


From the Palantine Patch:  And you still want more? Click here

But Can a Leopard Change His Spots?

Dateline: Helsinki

According to a report in USA Today, researchers at the University of Helsinki are reporting that the milder winters are causing a shift in the survival rates of two varieties of the Finnish Tawny owl.  Over some 20 odd years of study revealed that the gray variety does better in winter than the brown variety. But with the milder winters of late (less snow) the brown variety is now doing better than the gray.  The guess is that other animals hunting the owls find it harder to spot the gray when there's more snow and they find it harder to spot the brown when there's less snow.

I don't think Chuck Darwin would be surprised in the least.

Eule Goes Hollywood-Mariachi Style

Yet another movie with Owls!  Well, this story isn't exclusively about owls like the Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole  but Rango does have owls!  Recently, some of the stars of Rango (Where's Johnny Depp?) were in Berlin to promote the film.  Opens March 4th in the U.S.A. und am dritten März in Deutschland.


Look for it in a theater near you.



Pic from: The Examiner.com

But Baby, It's Cold Outside

Sure it's a cold and SNOWY winter.  But can Spring be far off?

As reported in the Richmond-Times Dispatch, Great Horned owls are beginning their search for a mate. The owl's hooting in the hours of early morning are apparently a prelude to mating.

Perhaps we should take a cue from the owls.....

Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis Jr-Baby, It's Cold Outside

Can't We All Just Get Along?

In the 1980's the notorious/famous Spotted owl defeated loggers in the Pacific Northwest. Now they face a new challenge:  The Barred Owl.   According to The Scientific American, "These birds are more aggressive, can live in any type of forest, and eat more types of food than spotted owls, making them more adaptable to the current Pacific Northwest landscape."
Of course, the Spotted owl is still losing it's habitat to man, as well.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed controlling (killing?)  some of the Barred owl population .


 vs  vs 
Bets on the winner, anyone?
Reorted in The Scientific American.

I Prefer the Wings

  Dateline:  Bethel, Maine  A Barred owl was caught inside a barn where it had been decapitating one chicken a day and flying off with the heads.   According to the article on the Bloomberg News website, Wildlife biologist Judy says chickens are too big for owls to carry off and owls are notorious for eating heads. She says many animals that owls live on, such as squirrels and voles, live under the snow.

Apparently the owl was starving to death.  Rough winter.  Make mine extra spicy.

Taco Bell: Think Outside the Bun

Dateline: Crystal Lake, IL

Apparently, a Great Horned Owl attempted to make a meal out of Chico, a Chihuahua.  The owl would have had its lunch had it not gotten tangled in the dogs leash.  Chico was slightly injured and may have been spared further damage by wearing his puffy winter jacket (ala George Costanza). See the rest of the story here

¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!

Look at Her Fly!!

An article from the Middletown Patch includes this great shot of a Short-Eared Owl.

The article says that these owl are rare in the area of  Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge.   but according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, during the winter these birds are common to much of the U.S., including New England.  Myabe they are just rare in the local area.  But rare or not I can see why some people are excited at the sight of this bird in flight!

Check out the article here, it has more pics!

XXOO

Not sure what to give your favorite owl lover, lover for Valentine's Day?

As usual Martha Stewart has an answer for you.  She has a cookie recipe that is (please forgive me) a real HOOT!  Check out the recipe and video at Martha's website.

It's a good thing.

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty.....

Dateline:  Kedington, UK:  In the "Tastes just like chicken" category:  Owners of a missing eagle owl fear she could make a meal of someone’s cat.  European eagle owl Izzy is only 10 months old but is already 2ft 6in tall, with a 5ft wingspan.

Owners Jane and John Walmsley said she would be getting hungry and could take a fancy to a pet cat – in the wild the owls eat hares and rabbits.

John said: “If anyone spots her don’t touch her, as she will be getting scared and hungry, but call us as soon as possible. What we’re most worried about is people’s cats.”

See Full Story including video of this magnificent bird here

Can you hear me now?

Fascinating article from the Minneapolis Star & Tribune

Seems that owls that live in wooded environments, like the Great Horned Owl, have a low hoot because the trees are a barrier to higher frequency sounds.  Lower frequency sounds work better.  So, to be heard (like for mating, HELLO!!) they have developed a low hoot.

Listen to a Great Horned Owl vs the Burrowing Owl (grassland habitat).
 (audio from the Owl Pages)

It also seems that most birds don't hang near high noise areas like freeways because it makes it so difficult to be heard.

Check out the rest of the article-Fascinating!!

Home EC 101

From The San Jose Mercury News:

HAYWARD -- Baking owl pellets were behind the evacuation of the four-story science building at Cal State East Bay shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Fire officials said someone had pulled a manual alarm. Because the source of the problem wasn't clear, "it caused a lot of havoc for us," Hayward fire Capt. Thor Poulsen said.

"We got there, and students were running out of the building," he said. "Some said there was smoke; some said there wasn't. ... We were hauling a hose up the stairs. We were on high alert."

Poulsen said firefighters found the source of the concern in Room 212 -- owl pellets, the inedible remains of rodents that owls regurgitate after swallowing the animal whole.

"They were cooking owl pellets at 300 degrees for a certain amount of time to kill bacteria," Poulsen said. "Somebody smelled it -- apparently it smells a little bit -- and pulled the fire alarm."

Poulsen said two trucks and at least four engines responded.

Let's go to the hop, Let's go to the hop... GULP!

From the Daily Mail:

Speaking of owl diets...
A Burrowing Owl near Cape Coral, Florida was seen struggling to eat a frog. LOL!!  This is why they say to cut your food into bite-sized pieces.

Immature Great Horned Owl Video

Check out this brief video of two Great Horned Owls in a tree in Dayton, OH.

Um, there won't be a photo with this post

From the Paramus (NJ) Patch:

Midland School
As part of their study of bones, the fourth grade students dissected owl pellets and found skeletal pieces left over from the owls’ meals! Students will assemble these skeletal remains and compare and contrast them with the human skeleton.

Say!  Isn't that the Mac-n-Cheese from Tuesday's lunch!?!?

I found myself looking into a pair of penetrating dark eyes.

Here's a beautiful little account, by Mike Burke, of an encounter with a Barred Owl.

Like a camouflaged soldier at attention, the big bird stood unmoving and nearly unseen in the bare oak. I took a step closer, and its head rotated slightly. I found myself looking into a pair of penetrating dark eyes. It hesitated a moment, then noiselessly alit. 

Check out the rest of the story in the Chesapeake Bay Journal.

Hard Winter for Barn Owls in the UK

As another major winter storm builds in the US this just in from the Wiltshire news: 
 Barn Owls near Minety  in the UK, are struggling to survive following last winter’s freezing temperatures.

Barn owls prey on small rodents but the blanket of snow that covered much of the landscape early last year made it almost impossible for the owls to locate and catch them.

Only about 20% of the owl boxes surveyed had shown signs of breeding.

Without enough food, the barn owls will not be able to breed. Or they may even starve.

If You Can Make it There....

Look at the pics of this Long-Eared owl in the Inwood neighborhood in NYC.

It may seem odd to see an owl in the city but apparently the Manhattan neighborhood of Inwood has a park that has the last natural forest on Manhattan Island.  Seems that Inwood Hill Park has a good collection of birds.  So, our guess is the owl is not too far from home.  So, what is our friend doing among the high rises?  Well, Weezy, maybe they're just movin' on up.

Take a Look at this Place, Will Ya???

Parque Nacional del Este, according to The Nature Conservancy:

This national park is situated on the southeastern tip of the Dominican Republic. The park’s intact coastal ecosystem provides prime habitat for hundreds of species of plants, birds, fish and other marine animals.

Eight species of birds are found only on Hispaniola, including the ashy-faced owl.

Table for One!!

What do Owls eat?
Depends on the species involved and, of course, what wine is on hand.

Some, like Screech Owl, feed on insects (I'm thinking a light, white, summer wine).
Others, like the Barn Owl, on mice (A Pinot) .
Some prefer fish (Asian fish Owl)  (A white for sure).
Other, larger owls (Eagle Owl) love a bit of hare or fox or duck (I'd go for the Cabernet Sauvignon or hearty Zin).

Remember to drink responsibly.

Off to the Actor's Retirement Home

A OWL who starred in a Harry Potter film has worked his magic to find a new home.

Yogi was left homeless when the Rescuers’ Animal Sanctuary, in Watlington Road, Benfleet, started clearing out animals in its care.

Luckily, Owls R Us, in Wakering Avenue, Shoebury, stepped in to offer the handsome bird a home.

Read More

We hope to hear more from Yogi when they do the HP retrospectives in about 5-10 years.

You're Pushing Too Hard On Me

This just in from the East Valley Tribune in Mesa, AZ:

The article notes: The owls, which still have a presence on some undeveloped land in the East Valley, are not endangered in Arizona but are protected under federal law. If found on a construction site, they must be safely removed and relocated.


“They used to be along every canal bank and vacant lot in Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek,” said Randy Babb, a biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Of course, now you can’t find a vacant lot or canal in those areas. All of those habitats are gone. … I don’t think we have the fear that they will disappear, but like other animals, they’ve suffered in the face of land abuse.”

Well all I want is to just be free,

Live my life the way I wanna be,

All I want is to just have fun,

Live my life like it's just begun,

But you're pushin' too hard, pushin' too hard,

On me...

(1960's flashback warning--do not click this link unless you were born before 1960)

Owls in Cave Paintings

Humans adorn all sorts of items with owl figures.  So, it's no surprise that about 30,00 years ago humans depicted owls on a cave in France.  The paintings in the Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave contain the earliest paintings ever done by humans.

What these people thought of owls?  What species of owl were they painting?
Here's a photo of an owl depicted in the cave.  Let us know what species you think they were drawing.

Barn Owl Help

We came across some information regarding U.S. Barn Owl populations on the Barn Owl Box Company website.

They report that 9 states where barn owl populations are "endangered".

The 9 are:

Connecticut

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Michigan

Missouri

New Hampshire

Ohio

Wisconsin

Click on the state for more information from the state.  Some states provide range maps.

Owl Arrested for Public Drunkenness

An owl in Pforzheim, Germany was arrested for public drunkenness.  A woman walking her dog saw the owl sitting by the side of the road oblivious to passing traffic. When police arrived they did not need to give it a breathalyzer. The owl was staggering around with drooping eyelids. Apparently there were a couple of bottles of Schnapps nearby as well.

Actually, the police took the owl to a local expert who has treated "alcoholized birds" rather than put it in the drunk tank. The owl is being given plenty of water, and will be free to go when sober.

What's the most common owl?

Looks like it's the Barn Owl.  They are found on all continents (with the exception of the one where penguins rule).

What is the largest owl in the world?

I'm guessing that given, our last post it must be the Giant Owl.  Or the Grand Owl.  Right?


Nope.  


And in this corner....


The Eurasian Eagle Owl is about 23-29 inches in length and can weigh up to 7 pounds!
Whoa, Mama!  That's a big bird!!


The Great Gray Owl is about 24-33 inches in length and can weigh up to 4 pounds.


There's also another contender:  Blackiston's Fish Owl  stepping into the ring at 24-30 inches and weighing up to 10 pounds.


All 3 are big birds so pick your winner!


Eurasian Eagle Owl
Great Gray Owl
Blackiston's Fish Owl

What is the smallest owl in the world?

Well, this couldn't have been more obvious.
The two smallest owls are the...wait for it....


Northern Pygmy Owl and the Elf Owl.


Now we feel a little stupid for not knowing that off the bat.
Which one is smallest?  Depends on the individual owl to whom you happen to hold up a ruler.
The Northern Pygmy Owl is between 6 and 7 inches, while the Elf Owl is 5 inches to up to almost a foot tall.


Here's a small peek

She's Got Bette Davis Eyes

Do you know what the eye color of an owl tells you about an owl?
Some owls have dark colored eyes. Some have Orange eyes. Others have yellow eyes.
This is more than a fashion statement.

It turns out that, with most owl species, an owl with dark-colored eyes is a nocturnal (night-time) hunter.  Orange eyes? Hunts at dawn and dusk.
Yellow-eyed owls are out in the daytime (World of Owls).

Your Favorite Owl?

Owls have a long history in lore and mythology (Read More).  Here are some owl characters from modern western culture: 

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (Movie)

Hedwig, et al.(Harry Potter)
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat (Poem)
Owl (Winnie-the-Pooh)


Our fav is Owl from Winnie-the-Pooh.  Hoo's yours?


Tell us your favorite owl character from stage, screen or literature!