# Owl



## Phragper (Dec 29, 2022)

barred owl watching owl house being mounted


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## abax (Dec 29, 2022)

Wonderful! I'm amazed that the owl let you take the photo. Normally, I see barn, hoot and saw whet owls
this time of year. I've not seen any of them so far this winter. When you have a spare moment, would you
mind revealing where you found an owl house...or made possibly?


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## Phragper (Dec 29, 2022)

my husband built it for me for Christmas you can get plan from allaboutbirds.org
I have been watching their owl cam for several years now and really enjoy how they care for their young. We have a pair here and hope they will take up residence in their house


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## troy (Dec 31, 2022)

Very cool!! Birds of prey are are nice to watch, falcons, hawks, owls….I’m jealous


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## BrucherT (Dec 31, 2022)

Beautiful bird with a terribly short life. I hope it nests for you!


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## BrucherT (Dec 31, 2022)

Oops! I misread and the photo is blurry in my phone; thought you said “barn owl.” My bad. Long may she reign!


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## big923cattleya (Jan 1, 2023)

Barred Owls and Great horned Owls generally do not nest in boxes. Barred Owls are actually quite tolerant of humans.
The species of owls that commonly nest in boxes here east of the Mississippi are Screech Owls and Barn Owls. Most places in the east also have fairly good population of Long-eared Owls, and Saw whet owls. Both of those are not known to nest in boxes.

In the 9 years I lived in South Florida, the Burrowing Owls were the most common by far. We helped the city of Cape Coral do a Burrowing Owl survey every 5 years. Total burrow counts ranged from 1,900 hundred to 2,200. About 800 or so Owls lived in Cape Coral as one pair uses several burrows in raising their families. Burrowing Owls live about 9-13 years and are cute as the dickens. They ate frogs, tree frogs, lizards, anoles, insects etc.
I am fearful as to what impact Hurricane Ian had on them with 7-9 feet of storm surge. They typically start nesting in late January and early February with young owlets appearing in early April. My goodness, I hope that many escaped.


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## Phragper (Jan 1, 2023)

BrucherT said:


> Beautiful bird with a terribly short life. I hope it nests for you!


my first encounter with owls here was 2014. Since then have had many up close encounters. Have been watching a barred owl pair online for years now that nest in a box in Indiana. So am hoping that this pair here will do the same They do seem at ease with us as I am out and about in the yard often and see 1 of them sitting in the oak tree or in the maple tree in the front yard , where they are watching the birds at the feeders . Thank you for all your info and HAPPY NEW YEAR


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## Linus_Cello (Jan 1, 2023)

big923cattleya said:


> I am fearful as to what impact Hurricane Ian had on them with 7-9 feet of storm surge. They typically start nesting in late January and early February with young owlets appearing in early April. My goodness, I hope that many escaped.


Isn’t the Xmas bird count wrapping up? Might get some preliminary burrowing owl counts.


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## big923cattleya (Jan 4, 2023)

Not all of the Burrowing Owls hang out all winter at or near their burrows. Christmas bird counts may be way off in terms of real population numbers.


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## abax (Jan 4, 2023)

I haven't seen or heard any owls so far this winter, but I see many hawks and one magnificent Golden
Eagle. I wonder if the hawks are preying on the owls and/or driving them away. Anybody with insight
on this phenom?


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## big923cattleya (Jan 4, 2023)

The Great Horned Owl is a species that regularly has confrontations with different species of hawks. They also do not get along with Ravens and both species of crow, Common and Fish.
There is documentation of them raiding each other’s nests, stealing eggs and young. 
I can assume that both Eagles do not care for large Owls either. The Great Gray Owl being a northern owl species likely has confrontations as well.

I have witnessed a Bald Eagle steal fish from Ospreys. I am assuming it is all about competition.


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