OWLS.................

I LOVE OWLS, I THINK THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT. I HAVE THE MOST ELEGANT COLLECTION OF OWLS. MY BROTHER BOB, WHO IS NOT WITH US ANY LONGER, STARTED GIVING ME OWLS 40 YEARS AGO. BOB WOOD SEND ME AN OWL EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE JUST BECAUSE HE KNEW I LOVED THEM SO MUCH. MY VERY FIRST ONE I GOT FROM HIM HE BOUGHT AT BAMBURGER'S (MACY'S AS THEY SAY TODAY.) I CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD COST TODAY. I WANT TO GET MYSELF A CAMERA, AND WHEN I DO I WILL PUT PICTURES ON MY BLOG OF MY OWLS. LOOKING AT THESE OWLS, BRING ME BACK SO MANY GOOD MEMORIES OF MY BROTHER BOB. MY BLOG IS ABOUT OWLS TODAY, I HOPE YOU ENJOY LOOKING AT THESE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS.


THE BARRED OWL....................................................................

THE BARRED OWL IS A LARGE OWL. IT HAS MANY OTHER NAMES LIKE, EIGHT HOOTER, RAIN OWL, WOOD OWL, AND STRIPED OWL, BUT IS KNOWN THE BEST AS THE HOOT OWL. IT HAS A PALE FACE AND DARK RINGS AROUND EYES, A YELLOW BEAK AND BROWN EYES. THIS IS THE ONLY TYPICAL OWL OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES WHICH HAS BROWN EYES, ALL OTHERS HAVE YELLOW EYES. THE LEGS AND FEET ARE COVERED WITH FEATHERS. BREEDING HABITAT IS IN DENSE WOODS. ITS NESTS IS OFTEN IN A TREE CAVITY. THE FEMALE LAYS 2 TO4 EGGS, HATCHING TAKES PLACE 4 WEEKS LATER. BARRED OWLS EAT MICE, RABBITS, CHIPMUNKS, FOXES, OPOSSUMS AND ALSO BIRDS. IT HUNTS NEAR DAWN OR DUSK'S.


THIS IS AN OWL IN A TREE CAVITY. (NEST)

NORTHERN (BABY) PYGMY OWL

PYGMY OWLS ARE SOMETIMES CALLED "OWLETS". THEY ARE VERY SMALL. ADULT SIZE ARE 6 INCHES TALL. THEY ARE GRAY, BROWNISH-GRAY OR RUFOUS IN COLOR. THIS OWL HAS A ROUND WHITE SPOTTED HEAD, WEAKLY DEFINED FACIAL DISC, AND DARK UPPER BREAST WINGS AND TAIL, THE TAIL BEING VERY LONG COMPARED TO OTHER OWLS. THEIR EYES ARE YELLOWISH GREEN. THE PYGMY OWL HAS TWO BLACK SPOTS IN THE BACK OF THEIR HEADS, WHICH LOOK LIKE TWO EYES. LEGS ARE FEATHERED DOWN TO THEIR TOES. THEY NESTS IN DENSE WOODLANDS, IN A TREE CAVITY. THE FEMALE LAYS 2 TO 7 EGGS, THEY EAT FLYING INSECTS, AND SWOOP DOWN ON THEIR PREY LIKE, SMALL MAMMALS, BIRDS, AND LARGE GROUND INSECTS.

THE NORTHERN HAWK OWL...................................................

THE NORTHERN HAWK OWL IS A MEDIUM SIZED OWL. IT HAS A ROUNDED HEAD WITH YELLOW EYES, DARK BROWN UPPER PARTS AND BARRED UNDER PARTS AND TAIL. THEY ARE FOUND IN THE BOREAL FORESTS OF NORTH AMERICA AND EURASIA. THEY ARE USUALLY ON THE EDGES OF MORE OPEN WOODLAND. THEY NEST IN LARGE TREE CAVITIES OR USE NESTS ABANDONED BY OTHER LARGE BIRDS. THEY HAVE LITTLE FEAR OF HUMANS, AND WILL ATTACK IF THEIR YOUNG ARE APPROACHED TOO CLOSELY. THEY HUNT "VOLES" (LIKE A MOUSE, BUT NOT RELATED TO THE RODENT FAMILY.) AND BIRDS LIKE THRUSHES. THEY HAVE EXCEPTIONAL HEARING, AND THEY CAN HEAR A VOLE UNDER THE SNOW.

THE LONG EARED OWL............................................................

THE LONG EARED OWL IS A SPECIES OF OWL WHICH BREEDS IN EUROPE, ASIA, AND NORTH AMERICA. THE LONG EARED OWL BREEDING SEASON IS FROM FEBRUARY TOO JULY. THIS BIRD IS PARTIALLY MIGRATORY, MOVING SOUTH IN WINTER FROM THE NORTHERN PARTS OF ITS TEMPERATE RANGE. ITS HABITAT IS A FOREST CLOSE TO OPEN COUNTRY. IT NESTS IN TREES, USING THE OLD STICK NESTS OF OTHER BIRDS SUCH AS THE CROWS, RAVENS, AND MAGPIES AND VARIOUS HAWKS. THE FEMALES LAY 4 TO 6 EGGS AND INCUBATION IS 25 TO 30 DAYS. THE LONG EARED OWL HUNTS OVER OPEN COUNTRY BY NIGHT, IT GLIDES SLOWLY ON STIFF WINGS WHEN HUNTING. IT'S FOOD IS MAINLY RODENTS, SMALL MAMMALS AND BIRDS.

THE SNOWY OWL..............................................................

THE SNOWY OWL IS A LARGE OWL OF THE TYPICAL OWL FAMILY. (TRUE OWL) THE SNOWY OWL WAS FIRST CLASSIFIED IN 1758. IT IS ALSO KNOWN IN NORTH AMERICA AS THE ARTIC OWL OR THE GREAT WHITE OWL. THIS SPECIES OF OWL NESTS ON THE GROUND. BUILDING A SCRAPE ON TOP OF A MOUND OR BOULDER. A SITE WITH GOOD VISIBILITY, A READY ACCESS TO HUNTING AREAS , AND A LACK OF SNOW IS CHOSEN. THE FEMALE LAYS 5 TO 14 EGGS EVERY OTHER DAY OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL DAYS. HATCHING TAKES PLACE AROUND 5 WEEKS. THE BABIES ARE PURE WHITE, AND YOUNG ARE PROTECTED BY BOTH PARENTS.