stuckmotor
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Great Horned Owl
- Thread starter lilranch2001
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MossRoad
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What a co-inkydink!
pmsmechanic
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Several owl stories:
Years ago we were headed to a family gathering and noticed an owl hanging funny on a fence. Kept driving and I realized that owls don't sit on a barbed wire fence with one wing stuck out for balance. Went back and wrapped the owl up with a towel but there was no untangling that one. My wife had a knife and we cut through a pile of feathers. It stood on the ground for a bit and then flew away. I was impressed with the wing span. 2.5' owl, 6'wing span.
We have a great horned nest on the yard. The neighbour wanted to get rid of a cat so I brought a mom and 3 kittens home. Mistake as the owl threaded her way through standing humans in the middle of the afternoon to go after momma cat. My wife said she could feel the air off of the wings. So I rehomed the cat and kittens to another neighbour.
A few days later a pair of Canada geese flew slowly through the yard at about 15-20' above the ground. All of a sudden there was a pile of squawking as the owl proceeded to dive bomb one of the Canadas. Yet I've never had an issue walking at night or anytime for that matter. I can stand and watch the young ones in the nest. I can talk to them at night when I'm walking across the yard.
For a few years we had two different families going on. A family of great horned on one end of the yard and a family of screech owls on the other end. To hear a screech owl at night if you don't know what it is....
Years ago we were headed to a family gathering and noticed an owl hanging funny on a fence. Kept driving and I realized that owls don't sit on a barbed wire fence with one wing stuck out for balance. Went back and wrapped the owl up with a towel but there was no untangling that one. My wife had a knife and we cut through a pile of feathers. It stood on the ground for a bit and then flew away. I was impressed with the wing span. 2.5' owl, 6'wing span.
We have a great horned nest on the yard. The neighbour wanted to get rid of a cat so I brought a mom and 3 kittens home. Mistake as the owl threaded her way through standing humans in the middle of the afternoon to go after momma cat. My wife said she could feel the air off of the wings. So I rehomed the cat and kittens to another neighbour.
A few days later a pair of Canada geese flew slowly through the yard at about 15-20' above the ground. All of a sudden there was a pile of squawking as the owl proceeded to dive bomb one of the Canadas. Yet I've never had an issue walking at night or anytime for that matter. I can stand and watch the young ones in the nest. I can talk to them at night when I'm walking across the yard.
For a few years we had two different families going on. A family of great horned on one end of the yard and a family of screech owls on the other end. To hear a screech owl at night if you don't know what it is....
OP
lilranch2001
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That is interesting!
cqaigy2
Super Member
Interesting stories.
MoKelly
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After reading your story about the cat, I had to look up how many pets died due to owls. Pretty small number - but no help if it is your pet.
MoKelly
That doesn't mention Fisher... a relatively common predator of cats here. One of the eeriest sounds which I"ve ever heard was a made by a cat which was getting chased by a fox. Talk about otherworldly...
goeduck
Super Member
As large as eagles and owls can be they do not weigh much and really want to take their kill off by wing. They really do not have that much of a payload. Not to say they cannot consume on the spot but that is not their preferance.
drssg
Veteran Member
Since everyone's telling owl stories, I was riding a horse in my indoor arena, and I heard a loud WHAP. A great horned owl had flown into the arena, and it slammed into a large mirror. I initially thought the impact killed it, because it flopped around on the ground for a bit and then went still. After a while, it regained consciousness, and it sort of watched me riding around on my horse with a rather dazed look.
I checked back later in the day, and it was gone. I suspect it got its wits back and lived happily ever after.
I checked back later in the day, and it was gone. I suspect it got its wits back and lived happily ever after.