It’s my favorite time of year! EGG SEASON. No, not just Easter egg hunts. But the time of year where some birds have already found their mates and are laying eggs! I’m eagerly waiting for those eggs to hatch!
I love to watch the bird cameras on the Cornell Lab’s All about Bird website and a variety of other spots! On this site, you have the chance to watch birds incubate (or sit on to keep them warm) while they’re waiting to hatch. I’m watching:
- Barred Owls (nameless) from Indianapolis, IN
- Great Horned Owls (Athena) from Austin, Texas
- Peregrine Falcons (Carla and Ecco!) from Pittsburgh, PA
- Red-Tailed Hawks (Big Red and Arthur) from Ithaca, New York
- And a bonus, Feeder Cam from Ithaca New York!
Barred Owls
This Barred Owl nest has been occupied since 2003, but it’s reported that they cannot tell if it’s the same matted pair every year because they’re not banded. Cornell Lab’s website says “Jim Carpenter, Founder, President and CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited, has hosted a camera-equipped owl box in his wooded backyard since 1998. Set about 32 feet high against the trunk of a pignut hickory tree, this Barred Owl box was first occupied in 2003. Since then, the box has hosted Barred Owl nests nearly every year.”
Barred owls prefer habitat that has many tall trees and abundant water. They prey upon (or hunt!) squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rabbits, and even ground birds or fish!
Barred owls lay eggs in a cavity 20-40 feet up in a tree, like this one! They’ll even take over a built platform nest that another animal built (like a squirrel, hawk crow, or raven.) They’ll roost in these cavities (or holes) during the day and hunt at night! Perhaps you’ve heard the call of these owls during the night as they’re scaring away intruders from their territory.
Barred owls are doing quite well overall. Their populations are rising at a rate of 1.1% each year!
They’ll lay 1-5 eggs per season, and the female will incubate (keep warm) for about 28-33 days. The owls will hatch covered in white fluffy down feathers and their eyes are closed. They’ll leave the nest after about 28-35 days. They look like fluffier versions of the adults! They’ll get their adult plumage (feathers) when they’re about 5-6 months of age.
Want to learn more about springtime birds with MWA? Check out our Birds & Blooms walk on the Indian Creek Valley Trail on May 2!