Barn Owl Cams
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About
The ghostly, pale shape of the Barn Owl, most often seen as it hunts silently over fields at dusk, has excited much fear and suspicion among country-dwellers in the past, especially when the bird has uttered its typical rasping shriek– a sound to make the blood run cold in the semi-darkness. But in truth this bird poses no threat to humankind. Instead it is a ruthless and efficient hunter of small mammals, such as rats, mice, and shrews, often doing a farmer a considerable service by nesting in an outbuilding or barn and keeping mammal numbers down.
Interesting Fact:
Barn Owls have the keenest sense of hearing of any bird in the world.
Latest Posts:
- Florida Barn Owls 7th Egg Laid VideoHNF – The 7th egg was laid on 9/16/23.
- 831 Barn Owl Cam ReturnsThe 831 Barn Owl cam has made it’s way back to SPO. The live cam switches between an in box view and a quad view including the outside.
- Florida Barn Owl Lays 6th Egg VideoHNF – 6th Egg laid early this morning(9/13/23).
- Florida Barn Owls Tour Outside VideoHNF – In this video you will get to see what it looks like outside of nest box 1 and nest box 2. It’s interesting to see things from a different perspective. He also has some interesting insight and things to say as well. Disclosure: you will see two deceased barn owls. If you want … Read more
- Florida Barn Owl Nest 5th Egg Laid VideoHNF – The 5th egg was laid yesterday 9/10/23 in the early afternoon.
- Florida Barn Owl Lays Egg With Determination!HNF – The 4th egg was laid earlier today. Check out the Video!
- Video – Florida Barn Owls Lay 3rd Egg!HNF – 2nd clutch of the season. 3rd egg laid yesterday evening. 3/5/23
- Florida Barn Owls 2 Eggs Laid VideosHNF – On cam 2 you will see this nesting pair has laid 2 eggs so far. We could see a third egg today!Egg 1 = Sept. 1, 2023Egg 2 = Sept. 3, 2023
- First hatchTEA – Dorset Barn owl has first hatch today 5/12/23.
- 831 Barn Owl Eggs Are Hatching!HNF – Here is the hatch timeline so far. Eggspect to see more owlets very soon.1st owlet hatched Sunday May 7th 20232nd owlet hatched Tuesday May 9th 20233rd egg hatched Thursday May 11th 20234th egg laid on 4/11/2023 hatch eta 5/12-5/135th egg laid on 4/13/2023 hatch eta 5/14-5/156th egg laid on 4/15/2023 hatch eta 5/16-5/177th … Read more
How they pick a mate:
Recent research has shown that males prefer to breed with females with plenty of spots on their thighs, a unique feature that seems to reflect a birds health.
Where Barn Owls nest:
Barn Owls are not just in barns, but also can be found in churches and other buildings, including natural sites such as caves and tree-holes.
I see the owlets, but where are the parents?
During the first couple weeks after the owlets hatch the female will remain in the box during the day with the owlets. The male will stay close bye perched in a nearby tree during daylight hours. Once the owlets reach a certain size(usually a couple weeks from when they hatch) the female will leave the box and perch in a nearby tree during the day along with the male. At night the male and female both take turns feeding the owlets and then return to their perch by morning.
How long before eggs hatch:
The owlets hatch out after about 30 days. The female begins incubation immediately after the 1st egg is laid. This means every egg will hatch on a different day. It will be another 3 months or more before they are independent after they hatch.
What is a pip?
A pip hole is a tiny hole that the eaglet inside the egg makes with its “egg tooth” (a sharp little point at the end of its beek) in the outside shell when it first starts to hatch.
Adult Female Barn Owl
About the Nest:
There is no real “nest”, the female just lays the 4-7 eggs right on the floor, usually among old owl pellets.
Characteristics and Habitat
Size: 13-17 inches (33-35 cm)
Weight: 10-21oz (275-600g)
Migration: Nonmigrant
Habitat: Farmland, Marshes, Prairie and Desert
Population: Fairly Common Resident, Although Numbers Have Decreased In Recent Years.
The light at night:
Yes, they do have a light shining on them all night long. However, the light is called infrared and can’t be seen by humans or animals. Only cameras can pick it up. If you walked out to that nest at night it would look pitch black outside.
The Barn Owl looks unlike other owls, it has a peculiar heart-shaped face and small, black eyes. The arrangement reflects how it uses its senses. The eyes are of secondary importance in hunting prey; it is the ears that are used primarily. Its round face helps to amplify sounds, while the silent flight, typical of all owls, keeps background noise to a minimum. The ears are not symmetrical on the head, the left side is higher on the skull than the right. This means that sound traveling from below or above will arrive at one ear before the other, and this delay helps the owl to distinguish which direction the sound is coming from. The Barn Owl has three-dimensional hearing. It can catch food in complete and total darkness.