It was a busy time in the backyard last night. A bobcat, coyote, and raccoon came through as well as smaller critters including a packrat, cottontail, and the screech owl fledglings. All four screech owlets appear in the last clip of this video. It’s good to see they are doing well in life after the nestbox.
Tag: owl
Owlet nestbox action
There are a few interesting things going on in this video: gular fluttering, nictitating membranes, and head bobbing. Owls and other birds use gular fluttering to stay cool when the temps are high. Owls nictitating membranes (essentially a second eyelid) help protect their eyes when attacking prey. Lastly, head bobbing (motion parallax) helps owls triangulate their sight on a given subject since their eyes are fixed in their skull and cannot move on their own.
Nesting screech owls
This is year seven for the screech owls to use the backyard nestbox. They successfully fledged offspring the previous 6 years. Typical clutches started with three to four eggs with all nestlings fledging and hanging around the yard for a month or so, while learning the ropes from their parents before dispersing. Last year there were five eggs, but only one survived to fledge (I suspect secondary poisoning from rodenticide). In this video the male brings his mate a gecko snack while she incubates her eggs.
Last Night’s Backyard Wildlife
It was a busy 12 hours from before sundown to right after sunrise last night. An owl, deer, coyotes, raccoons and a bobcat. The first video shows the Great horned owl having a drink in the evening. The second video shows the mangy coyote the next morning. The third video shows all the action from evening to the next morning.
Owl fledgling watches bats
This great horned owl fledgling was getting a drink at a remote desert waterhole when bats decided they were also thirsty. Not sure which bat species they are, but it’s fun to watch them swoop in and try to drink while the owlet watches.
Screech owl copulation and feeding
This year, the fourth season of a Western screech owl pair using the nestbox in my yard, was a difficult time for the owl pair. Five eggs laid and hatched, but only one nestling survived to fledge. This video shows a copulation event after the eggs hatched and when only one nestling remained. It also shows how the adult male brings food to the adult female to feed her nestling.
The lone screech owlet
This year only one of five nestling screech owls survived to fledge. Based on the body condition of the nestlings that died, I suspect secondary poisoning by rodenticide. The surviving nestling fledged a few weeks ago and I’ve seen her perched in a nearby tree with one of her parents now and then.
A Big Little Owl & Black Bear Cub
Here are two interesting camera trap videos, one from my yard and one from Arizona’s Sky Islands. The first video shows an alarmed Western screech owl in a birdbath during the day. She was trying to escape the 107 degree temps and her nestbox was too hot. I think a Cooper’s hawk landed on the fence near the birdbath.
In this second video, a black bear cub has a swim with her mom then takes an interest in my camera trap:
Nighttime Wildlife Action
Last night was pretty interesting. Lot’s of wildlife action, though most fascinating to me are the screech owl and desert cottontail rabbit interactions. I am so comforted to know my backyard offers an oasis for the wild critters. What do you think?
Screech Owls Enduring the Heat
Yes, I am an opportunistic wildlife observer. So, yes, another western screech owl post. More than six weeks after fledging, the owlets are still hanging around with their mom and dad. In this clip, two fledglings are in the suspended bird bath with, who I believe, is their dad (based on plumage characteristics and over 4 months of observation). The temps have been high, 105 degrees and above (40+ Celsius).
My Earth 