Otherwise known as the Great Horned Howl, a Bubo virginianus and its juvenile is in the area where I live. It has been a few months since I have heard its adult call. Last night I heard a shrieking and then the hoo-hoo-hoooo of the adult. I knew it was an owl, but I did not know what kind until today when I was able to research it a bit. If you go to the link, make sure to listen to the nocturnal shriek of the owlet - and imagine that sounding like it is coming from your front porch!
It was very odd to hear an owl, and then to find out that it was a Great Horned Owl was even more odd. They usually hide in trees during the day - something that we do not have much of in Jackalope country. It is either in the cottonwoods to the south or it is roosting in an easterly neighbor's mature oaks. The latter would surprise me since those neighbors have chickens; I just can't imagine them suffering an owl to live.
I found out that GHOs have no problems killing porcupines, skunks, or young foxes. Since we seem to have plenty of those around, it seems likely that they are here for the abundance of food.
A good friend used to be into falconry with her mother, and here is what she has to say about them:
Birds of prey have poor eyesight at dusk and at night - it's why they hide - from owls! At dusk they look for spots of white - so a black dog with white feet might get mistaken for white mice and be attacked because the bird doesn't truly gauge the size of the whole animal.
An owl has great night vision - so all bets are off. A great horned owl is as dangerous as an eagle - if not more so because they are meaner (and smarter).
They can kill one of your dogs, but unless they kill it they would be hard pressed to fly off with it. Tracker and Rodear no way, Heidi and Baylo yes if they were dead. In a pack unless an owl thinks it can kill and fly away with prey you should be OK. But if she is training babies, they are the wildcard. Just because she knows she can't fly off with Baylo if he's struggling, doesn't mean her offspring will know that. Just because she knows if her talons lock around that dog's skull and she doesn't crush it she will get stuck and the rest of the pack will get her, doesn't mean her babies will know that and just might try it anyway. Experienced hunter will wait for little animals to leave the pack before making a try - babies won't wait.
Owls are nasty - I'd take an eagle anyday over those bastards.
I shudder to think of death by owl!
I guess the safest game plan for now is to keep the dogs inside once dusk hits unless I am outside with them. Just when I was happy for fall and the hibernation of snakes, another thing for a Crazy Rat Dog Mama to worry about comes flying in!
It was very odd to hear an owl, and then to find out that it was a Great Horned Owl was even more odd. They usually hide in trees during the day - something that we do not have much of in Jackalope country. It is either in the cottonwoods to the south or it is roosting in an easterly neighbor's mature oaks. The latter would surprise me since those neighbors have chickens; I just can't imagine them suffering an owl to live.
I found out that GHOs have no problems killing porcupines, skunks, or young foxes. Since we seem to have plenty of those around, it seems likely that they are here for the abundance of food.
A good friend used to be into falconry with her mother, and here is what she has to say about them:
Birds of prey have poor eyesight at dusk and at night - it's why they hide - from owls! At dusk they look for spots of white - so a black dog with white feet might get mistaken for white mice and be attacked because the bird doesn't truly gauge the size of the whole animal.
An owl has great night vision - so all bets are off. A great horned owl is as dangerous as an eagle - if not more so because they are meaner (and smarter).
They can kill one of your dogs, but unless they kill it they would be hard pressed to fly off with it. Tracker and Rodear no way, Heidi and Baylo yes if they were dead. In a pack unless an owl thinks it can kill and fly away with prey you should be OK. But if she is training babies, they are the wildcard. Just because she knows she can't fly off with Baylo if he's struggling, doesn't mean her offspring will know that. Just because she knows if her talons lock around that dog's skull and she doesn't crush it she will get stuck and the rest of the pack will get her, doesn't mean her babies will know that and just might try it anyway. Experienced hunter will wait for little animals to leave the pack before making a try - babies won't wait.
Owls are nasty - I'd take an eagle anyday over those bastards.
I shudder to think of death by owl!
I guess the safest game plan for now is to keep the dogs inside once dusk hits unless I am outside with them. Just when I was happy for fall and the hibernation of snakes, another thing for a Crazy Rat Dog Mama to worry about comes flying in!
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