Hooter The Hoot Owl (Update 3-20)

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I posted this in the lounge, but it will probably be old history in a couple of days. So I thought I would post it here and keep the updates in this forum.
A pretty cool bird for sure. I can get within 4-6' of her now.
I walk around her and talk to her several times a day. She doesn't look or act at me as a threat. :D

We have a new outdoor pet! :D Trey noticed a Great Horned Owl in the tree right outside of our kitchen window. The tree is about 15' away and she is about 8'-9' above ground. She hasn't moved at all since last Friday 3-1. I have done a little research, and she will be on the nest for 33+- days. The male gets her food since she doesn't move at all. We can hear him hooting close by, but I haven't located him yet. It will be fun watching the little owls after they hatch. They will be able to move to the branches at 6 wks. and fly after 7 wks. but will not be competent flyers until 10-12 wks. They should hang around until Oct.
Do any of you know what food I could put out for them? Yea I know they eat rodents and birds, but they don't sell either in Kroger's meat dept. I put out some COOKED chicken and they didn't get it. I will put out some raw chicken to see if the Male will get it.

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Hooter has a new family :D We are new Grandparents :wink:
 

contender

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Love the owl pics.
I'm afraid to show them to Miss Penny. She loves owls, and wants them to nest around here. I show her this picture,, and she'll have me building a owl nest box. I don't need another project right now.
 

gunsbam69

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GRAMPS 51 said:
Hi I would just admire them while they are there and leave the feeding to mom and pop so that they learn the way nature meant them to do JMO

Gramps

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Wild critters aren't pets. Nature has a way. Soft hearted folks think it's cruel and try to interfere. Interference is the real cruelty. The animal becomes dependent.

I've read articles on animal "rescues" ranging for single individuals to whole herds. Die offs occur for good reason.
 
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I hear what you guys are saying, but why is bird seed and feeders sold :wink: I guess it is OK to feed all the birds except the Owls. I was not going to feed them all the time just to supplement there food supply some. Besides she will not eat raw or cooked chicken.
The reason being if they can not find enough food for the young they will eat them or one of the owlets will eat the other. I DO NOT want that to happen.
We are now surrounded by subdivisions soooooooooo the food supply COULD be limited.
 
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Wyandot Jim said:
I hear what you guys are saying, but why is bird seed and feeders sold :wink: I guess it is OK to feed all the birds except the Owls. I was not going to feed them all the time just to supplement there food supply some. Besides she will not eat raw or cooked chicken.
The reason being if they can not find enough food for the young they will eat them or one of the owlets will eat the other. I DO NOT want that to happen.
We are now surrounded by subdivisions soooooooooo the food supply COULD be limited.

It's likely those commenting negatively about feeding the owls don't have bird feeders. Personally, I'm not in favor of feeder for game animals either. Or hunting over bait. That's just the way I was raised.

If that's what you do and it's legal so be it.
 

contender

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Offering supplemental feed, (bird feeders) is a big business,, and allows me to make a living. it's when the food goes away,,, that more problems arise.
Once a generation or two of birds get accustomed to free & easy food, they multiply to match a food source. Often, once a food supply stops,, these animals can suffer from a lack of food for the local numbers.
BUT,, it's nowhere nearly as easy to offer food to owls,, and as such, most can't or won't do it. But,, if you can get them to feed on the occasional supplement,, then go for it.
Like most things,, moderation & not too much is the key.

One other thing to consider.

Often, animals build a nest in an area that they know has a good food supply. Maybe there is more food there than you realize?

If you want to offer free food for the owls,, I know a method,,,!
 
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In SoCal where I live the only raptor population that is on the rise is Cooper's Hawk, which eats almost exclusively small birds. Why are the Cooper's thriving? Bird feeders and palm trees--they kill songbirds at the former and nest in the latter. Both of these factors are "interferences." The feeders raise and concentrate the populations of finches, both native and introduced, and the introduced palms provide nesting sites for the Cooper's. Bird feeders also can make finches really vulnerable to domestic cats.

Personally I don't like feeders, mainly because they have been known to spread avian diseases, even hummingbird feeders. But in the long list of things I don't like, they don't even get anywhere near the top....

Maybe I just like Cooper's Hawks....and cats. And palm trees.
 
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Maybe I just like Cooper's Hawks....and cats. And palm trees.

Mike last year we had a pair of Cooper's Hawks living in an Oak tree down our road. They had 3 young. We could check on them and watch how they progressed. It was pretty cool watching the 5 of them soring. Looking forward to watching Hooter and her Owlets progress.
And no I don't have any bird feeders either :D
 
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Ty,
If you want to offer free food for the owls,, I know a method,,,!

I would be very interested to hear this. From what I hve researched the male is supposed to bring food to the female just a little after dark. Since the nest is in view we have not seen this take place. In the past we could hear the male hoot even after the eggs were laid. But not now. Could something have happened to him???????? We don't have a clue.
I know for a fact that if I'm able to get within 5' or so from Hooter she is very dedicated to hatching her Owlets.
I DO NOT WANT HER TO STARVE. She has been and hopefully will be VERY enjoyable to watch along with her family over the next several months. I will do whatever it takes to make this happen.
 
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