floridahaunts

By shutterbugsue

Barred Owl

This is not of the greatest quality photograph by any means but I was so excited I found she or he. I have heard owls in our neighborhood for years but never investigated. It started early this morning calling "who cooks for you?who cooks for all of you." that is what they say. They stay with the same mate within a one square mile. They do not build nests they use old holes left in trees by others. Sometimes they line the bottom with a few feathers or grass.
The female lays two to three white eggs almost round. These birds of prey do not migrate they use the same nest every year. It takes the babies at least forty days before they are able to fly. Takes one week for their eyes to open.
They are born with white fluffy down. Once they open their eyes they will eventually venture out on a limb and watch what is going on. Once they learn to fly they follow their mother and father around and learn how to hunt. The parents will still feed them for a very long time. If they fall out of the nest or off the limb they are usually able to climb back up with their strong talons.
The mother is the larger of father and babies.
Their greatest predator is the Horned Owl.
Hope to go back and get some better pictures real soon.
In our subdivision we each own an acre of land and this owl lives across the street in my neighbors backyard.
Thank you for all of your comments. I have been trying to keep up with my subscribers but my neck sometimes just won't let me do it.

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