Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
revealed a pair of fledgling barred owls, not long out of the nest and still a bit fuzzy. Each time their
beaks opened, I could hear the soft mewing sounds. Probably the pair were importuning their parents
for food, though there was no sign that the adults responded to these piteous little cries.
An added feature of the barred owl's vocalism is that it often calls in the daytime, especially from
midafternoon on. Why barred owls spend so much time calling at all hours and all seasons of the year
is something of a mystery. Perhaps these calls are territorial at times, mating calls at others, and perhaps
merely conversational most of the time.
Barred owls nest relatively early in the spring, usually from late March to the end of April. A cavity
in a tree is the preferred nest site, although an old crow's or hawk's nest may be appropriated if tree
cavities are scarce. Usually two or three eggs are laid—though occasionally as many as four. The eggs
hatch in about a month, and it takes the nestlings roughly another month to fledge. Then they disperse
to seek their own territories and call back and forth as the spirit moves them.
THE GREAT HORNED OWL
If the barred owl's brown eyes give a false impression of mildness, the same can't be said for the great
horned owl. With its large, staring yellow eyes, long ear tufts, and great size, this owl exudes fierce-
ness from every feather. Furthermore, the great horned owl is every bit as fearsome a predator as its
appearance implies. The largest “eared” owl in North America, a large specimen can stand two feet
high and have a wingspan of up to five feet. As with other owls, though, most of this bulk is feathers.
An exceptionally large great horned owl may exceed five pounds, but three and a half pounds is about
average—not much heft for a bird with such an impressive wing-spread. But despite this rather puny
body, the horned owl is all muscle and sinew.
Where most other owls content themselves mainly with mice and other small creatures, the great
horned regularly seizes rabbits and hares, grouse, crows, weasels, opossums, muskrats, and other prey
of similar size. Many a wandering house cat has been snatched by those vicious talons, and the great
horned is probably
the
major predator of skunks: evidently lacking a sense of smell, like many birds,
the owl seems unfazed by the skunk's potent olfactory assaults.
I became aware rather early on of the horned owl's penchant for dining on skunk. At about the age
of ten, a friend and I took a correspondence course in taxidermy. We weren't very good at it, but our
efforts with birds came out reasonably well—though only because the feathers covered up a multitude
of errors!
In those days, people shot large owls on sight—a practice that was at least occasionally justified,
as readers will learn. In any event, someone brought me an exceptionally large great horned owl to be
mounted, and the bird reeked of skunk scent. I held my nose, stuffed the owl, and absorbed the inform-
ation that a great horned owl was willing to tackle rather large prey, including skunks.
