I'm fascinated by owls.
I'm especially fascinated by barred owls, because I've had the good fortune to have them as neighbors for several years. I can't quite say that I've watched their kids grow up, because their territory is big, the trees are tall, and they're elusive lurkers. I can say, however, that I've seen their kids (owlets) occasionally, first in 2009, then in 2012, and most recently, just last week.
barred owlet in hiding
Unfortunately the fuzzy, gray and brown juvenile I saw last week didn't want to pose for a photo. All I got was one out-of-focus image, at the right. (The gray blob that isn't tree trunk is a juvenile barred owl.)
juvenile barred owl with yummy rodent
I've had better luck getting pictures of owlets in past years. It wasn't until I began preparing pictures for this diary that I realized I've seen juveniles every three years, beginning in 2009. That spring I found the family nest cavity. I had noticed an adult barred owl who seemed especially active, hunting within sight of my house throughout the day and calling frequently to another owl who sounded near. One morning I followed him (male, I think, based on what I've learned since then). I was thrilled to watch him swoop down from a low branch, catch some small creature on the ground, then fly off to another tree. I followed, carefully, and I was able to see him fly to an opening in a large tree, about 20 feet up, where he delivered the tasty morsel.
After that I came back to check on the nest almost every day. There were actually two owlets in that nest. Often I could see both little faces peering out from the darkness of the cavity. After a few weeks the owlets disappeared. I continued to observe the parents regularly, however, hunting and calling to each other, so I presume the juveniles climbed out successfully to become "branchers". I hope they became fliers later, but I couldn't tell for sure.
I heard and saw adult barred owls throughout 2010 and 2011. They're year-round residents near my house. Adults mate for life, and they tend to stay within their established territory as long as conditions allow. Sometimes I heard territory battles and courtship exchanges in the middle of the night.
I saw owlets again in the spring and summer of 2012. One day I was walking in the woods when I heard the raspy, rising hisses of owlets calling for food and attention. I looked up and saw this one:
juvenile barred owl, a brancher
I could hear another one nearby, so I searched carefully until I found the sibling:
second juvenile barred owl, 2012
At that point they were branchers. They couldn't fly. I was surprised, though, how well they could move from tree to tree, mostly by sidling sideways on their branches. I was also surprised how high they could climb. I monitored the family for several days until the branchers apparently became fliers who could expand their range beyond my ability to follow. I heard them hissing up in the treetops throughout the summer, however. Here's their mother:
mama owl, 2012
Well, I'm pretty sure that's their mother. Barred owl gender differences can be difficult to distinguish in everyday observations. Male and female colors and plumage are identical. Bird guides say the females are larger than males, but that can be difficult to assess. It helps a lot to see both adults of a mated pair together, or at least in proximity. I've had the good fortune to see a pair on a branch together, even preening each other. To me the female barred owls don't look bigger, but they do have a different shape from males. Males tend to look short, stocky, and round. Females tend to look tall and thin. That picture was taken with the apparent male nearby, so I feel confident that's mama owl.
I've also noticed some behaviors and sounds that seem to characterize the male and female barred owls who have been my neighbors. In March and April the females should be tending nests, so the ones I see then are males. They don't have a lot to do, so they tend to loiter. Perhaps that's why they seem to tolerate my presence. Adult females seem to be skittish. They leave quickly after they see me, especially if they hear my camera click.
That's how I found the juvenile last week. I saw an adult female first, perched on a low branch next to my driveway, as I walked down my driveway to the mailbox. She stayed while I went to get my camera, but she didn't like having her picture taken. She flew a short distance, perched again and issued some soft alarm hoots, which I recognized as sounds the mother owls make when they see me near their owlets. I also noticed some songbirds making a fuss in a tree near a corner of my house. I went to that tree, mama owl continued to hoot from a safe distance, and after a moment a fuzzy gray and brown head popped up from behind an old squirrel nest. It took mama's warning seriously and flew away as I tried to get my camera focused.
The warning sound the mother owl makes is not one I've found described or recorded online. Numerous web sites have the most common sounds barred owls make, especially the loud ones: "Who cooks for you?" and the "monkey call". But the sound the mother owl makes to alert little ones is kind of quiet and discreet. To me it sounds almost electronic. It makes me think of a sound a very small toy boat or car might make: "woot woot ... woot woot".
That's the best I can describe it. I have not been able to record it.
There are hazards to the adult owls as well as to the juveniles, of course. Great horned owls have been known to be predators of other owls, including barred owls. I've heard great horned owls near my house twice, last fall and again this spring, but they seemed to be transient. Owls are also prone to get hit by cars. They swoop down to the ground when they hunt, and they sometimes swoop in front of cars. Sadly, that happened to one of my resident owls a couple of years ago. I found its body beside the road in front of my house. I couldn't tell which one it was. It might have been a juvenile, since it was late enough in the season that even the juveniles had adult size and coloring.
Whether it was the fatal car collision or other factors, I think the resident adults have changed. They're chosen a new nest site. Based on their calls, it seems farther from my house than the nest tree I found in 2009. And as I gathered pictures for this diary, I noticed that the adults seem to look different over the years. That could just be a sign of age, though, I suppose. I know I look a little different in photos over the years, too.
barred owl, male? 2011
barred owl, male, 2013
As you can see, I took all of these photos during the day. I was surprised to discover how active these nocturnal creatures are during the day — at least the ones who live near me. And it's not just when they're feeding juveniles. I see and hear my neighbor owls at all times of day and night, even high noon on hot sunny days. That makes taking pictures easier, which I appreciate. This guy does appear a little annoyed that I interrupted his daytime hunting, though.
Thanks for reading, or at least for scrolling through the pictures of my friendly neighborhood owls.