# Owl does Mr. Burns impersonation **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 22, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448 "2009-01-22T13:52:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/1 "2009-01-22T13:52:44Z")
[OK, he’s really trying to make himself invisible so the bigger owl won’t kick his ass.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es52WQKLumI) But it’s still pretty damn funny! ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/2 "2009-01-22T13:57:29Z")
I didn’t even get far enough in to see the impression. Birds freak me out and that owl is one of the freakiest birds I have ever seen. Damn birds of prey being all evil and scary! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/3 "2009-01-22T14:06:57Z")
Survival of the fittest: these tactics helped the species proliferate. I’m fascinated by these types of techniques that animals employ to survive. I forget what kind of bird it is, but there’s a species around here that will fake a limp away from the nest in order to lure prospective predators away from its young. Ingenious, except for the fact that it’s all just hard-wired in the birds brain. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/4 "2009-01-22T14:08:48Z")
Well, **pbbth** , if you want to FF, the normal “fluff up to scare enemy” scene is at 1:11 and the freaky impersonation is at about 1:40. I know you’ve never seen anything like it! I think the limping bird is a ground-dweller, like a quail or bobwhite or ptarmigan. ---
**Author:** ![conurepete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@conurepete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conurepete)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/5 "2009-01-22T14:30:45Z")
Killdeers do the limping thing ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/6 "2009-01-22T14:33:20Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > Well, **pbbth** , if you want to FF, the normal “fluff up to scare enemy” scene is at 1:11 and the freaky impersonation is at about 1:40. I know you’ve never seen anything like it! > > I think the limping bird is a ground-dweller, like a quail or bobwhite or ptarmigan. AHHHHH! AAAHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! I will never, ever, ever sleep again. Ever. Now I have to find a suitable anti-bird weapon to carry around with me for the rest of my life. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/7 "2009-01-22T15:01:08Z")
I’m sorry, **pbbth** , really. Really, really sorry for your distress. The tears running down my cheeks as I snort into my coffee might indicate otherwise, though. But I am. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/8 "2009-01-22T15:12:08Z")
> [@conurepete](#): > > Killdeers do the limping thing Yep. That’s it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/9 "2009-01-22T15:27:11Z")
Alternatve title: Nature imitates bad CGI. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/10 "2009-01-22T15:38:34Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I’m sorry, **pbbth** , really. Really, really sorry for your distress. The tears running down my cheeks as I snort into my coffee might indicate otherwise, though. But I am. 😛 I should have known better than to even open the link. I know I am freaked out by birds. Why would I open a bird link if I know that it is, in fact, a link to birds? Because I’m stupid, that must be why. Right now my only anti-bird weapons are a stapler and a pair of scissors. I will pick up some sort of mace or sword or something off of [amazon.com](http://amazon.com) when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/11 "2009-01-22T15:59:07Z")
Anyone who speak Japanese (or who knows the species) know why it reacts in one case by fluffing up and in the other one by looking angry? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/12 "2009-01-22T16:01:28Z")
I’ve also been looking to see what kind of bird that is. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/13 "2009-01-22T16:43:49Z")
According to my sister, who read a translation somewhere, the first bird presented is small enough that the owl felt he would be threatened by fluffing up his feathers to present a more intimidating foe. The second bird presented is much larger, and the owl realizes his puffery would present no threat. So his only other recourse is to try and make himself invisible by becoming as thin as possible. That’s why he keeps presenting his side to the other bird as the trainer circles him. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/14 "2009-01-22T19:23:46Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > I’ve also been looking to see what kind of bird that is. Looks like it might be an [African Scops Owl](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&fkt=968&fsdt=10227&q=%22African%20Scops%20Owl%22&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi) (Warning to **pbbth** : many scary bird pictures in link!!!) ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/15 "2009-01-22T19:29:13Z")
> [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](#): > > Looks like it might be an [African Scops Owl](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&fkt=968&fsdt=10227&q=%22African%20Scops%20Owl%22&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi) > > (Warning to **pbbth** : many scary bird pictures in link!!!) Thanks! I didn’t even know where to start looking. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/16 "2009-01-22T19:31:45Z")
I like how the (beautiful) barn owl doesn’t seem to give a shit about the transforming owl that’s trying so hard to intimidate. [hijack] Why do Japanese shows like this alway have a picture-in-picture reaction shot? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/17 "2009-01-22T21:31:08Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Survival of the fittest: these tactics helped the species proliferate. I’m fascinated by these types of techniques that animals employ to survive. I forget what kind of bird it is, but there’s a species around here that will fake a limp away from the nest in order to lure prospective predators away from its young. Ingenious, except for the fact that it’s all just hard-wired in the birds brain. The mom bird did that in Riki Tiki Tavi when the cobras were threatening her babies. I don’t know what she was. The owls are hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/18 "2009-01-22T22:12:07Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Survival of the fittest: these tactics helped the species proliferate. I’m fascinated by these types of techniques that animals employ to survive. I forget what kind of bird it is, but there’s a species around here that will fake a limp away from the nest in order to lure prospective predators away from its young. Ingenious, except for the fact that it’s all just hard-wired in the birds brain. Toronto, right? Might be a killdeer. I saw one doing its gimpy act as I approached while on a walk one time, so I figure the nest must have been right there somewhere. I didn’t go looking for it. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/19 "2009-01-22T22:49:58Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > [hijack] Why do Japanese shows like this alway have a picture-in-picture reaction shot? [/hijack] They’re “celebrities” (often not very big ones) and they’re there to show the viewers the celebrity reaction to the program. Think of it as a slightly higher-brow laugh track. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448/20 "2009-01-22T22:51:23Z")
> [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](#): > > Looks like it might be an [African Scops Owl](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&fkt=968&fsdt=10227&q=%22African%20Scops%20Owl%22&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi) > > (Warning to **pbbth** : many scary bird pictures in link!!!) Possibly a [Northern White-faced Owl](http://www.oiseaux.net/photos/barry.kent.mackay/petit-duc.a.face.blanche.1.html#fiche) ETA: Wait, I think it’s the [Southern](http://www.owls.org/Species/ptilopsis/southern_white_faced_owl_picture.htm) variety. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owl-does-mr-burns-impersonation/482448.md?page=2)