All spring, I’ve enjoyed watching/listening to a nesting pair of owls in the woods behind my house. Today, I noticed a funny shadow on top of the corner column on the carport, but thought nothing of it. Tonight, though, the shadow was still there despite the light coming from a different direction. I investigated, and it appears there’s a fluffy little bundle of feathers (mostly brown with white spots, and a couple of long brown tail feathers) perched face-first in the corner of the carport. (There’s a little ledge atop that column.) I brushed against the tail feathers, but can’t tell whether the bird’s moving, nor even whether it is a baby owl - that’s just a best guess.
My immediate course of action was to leave the bird alone and seek advice. So, advice? (Googling madly in other tab.) Thanks in advance!
If it is a baby owl – this is the time of year that they’re fledging – learning to fly and leaving the nest. If so, the parents are probably keeping an eye on it. I’d leave it alone unless it shows signs of actual distress.
Xema, that’s kind of the gist of the question: Should I follow my first instinct, turn off the porch light, and leave the bird alone, or should I intervene somehow?
Leave it alone. If it appeared there, it can evidently fly well enough. The parents will probably continue to bring food to it (at night) until it learns to hunt well enough to feed itself.
Thanks! I guess I was questioning the situation because the owlet has been perched there all day, without moving. No parents in sight yet, but we’re using the other door as much as possible until the situation resolves itself…
I had a fledgeling crow in my yard a couple of summers ago in the same situation - he sat there in my yard all day, and disappeared a little while later. I put a pan of water close to him and left him alone other than that.
Most owls are inactive during the day. They just perch quietly in a secluded place, as well hidden as they can get. The parents are probably perched in a nearby pine tree or vine tangle. They’ll come to tend the offspring at night.
Hereis a link to a ‘live video stream’ of a nest of owls which you can browse through to learn more. The fellow running the show does an awesome job of explaining things and saying what is going on in various recordings he’s made over the months since eggs laid.
There is/was a thread on this here on the Dope some time back, but I have not seen it recently. I check in on the owlets now and then, and its amazing how well momma owl (and dad) take care of their young 'uns. At this very moment, one of parents is sitting on the perch on the nest/box with a dead critter in mouth for breakfast for the babes while inside the babes are ripping into something with vigor. Definitely Nature at its finest, imho…
There is LOTS to be learned from at that site re: owls should you want to know more about what owls (of that breed especially) do with and for their young. Kudos to the couple that broadcast their little nesting box in their backyard! They even do plenty of live ‘broadcast Q & A sessions’ with schools and such to help the kids learn more about Nature and its critters.
Update: Baby owl has left the carport. Either mom and dad rescued him, or a predator got him. Cue Sir Elton John: “It’s the ciiiiircle, the circle of liiiife!”
He (she?), rather than the parents, probably gets most of the credit - other than providing food, there’s not a great deal birds such as owls can do for their offspring once they leave the nest.
They certainly have no way of carrying their fledged young. They perhaps have limited ability to say, in effect, “Get out of the open and up here in this tree where it’s safe.” But mostly that would be a matter for the young bird’s instincts.
