Barred Owls live year round in Fort Bend and love our open spaces to hunt. They live in forested areas, and swamps are just fine! They nest in cavities in deciduous trees. Hunting at night their preferred prey includes small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. It’s quite common to see them in trees during 6 AM hikes on the Quail Valley Golf Course as they are ending their hunting and are common on the slough off Glenn Lakes.
Distinctive with their black eyes and no feather tufts on the ears, a barred owl lost its home on Stafford Run from a wind storm and lived in a tree near our home for several days until he or she located a new home. During last summer’s drought, the owl would return to our birdbath during the day. It was quite unusual to see that large a bird in the birdbath much less an owl in the daytime. And yes, owls yawn.
To learn more about the Barred Owl and see other photos, visit the Cornell Ornithology Lab where you can also hear the distinct calls and voices of Barred and Great Horned Owls.
The other Owl living in Fort Bend and from the Arctic to the Tropics in every kind of habitat is the Great Horned Owl. The Great Horned Owl is so-named for the tufts near his or her ears. In contrast to the Barred Owls' lack of ear tufts and black eyes, the Great Horned Owls' eyes are yellow and cat-like in how the irises visibly open and narrow into slits. The Great Horned Owl is not seen as often in "urban" Fort Bend, preferring agricultural areas more prevalent in West Fort Bend County. This photo is not very good, but will give you a real contrast on how the two Owls look very different from one another.
To see more detailed photos and learn more about the Great Horned Owl, visit here.
And yes, owls yawn. That's hilarious. What a great collection! Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Penny | 10/13/2010 at 01:56 PM