Owl...Always Love You

I love owls. 

Owls are so stealthy. A powerful predator, owls can take down birds and mammals even larger than themselves. But what makes me understand their power is the fact that they can kill porcupines!   


I would never have noticed this Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) in the back yard if it didn't swoop off the nearby branch. It was mid morning and I'm sure this bird was asleep, so I think we both surprised each other. Lucky for me...I had the camera in tow. 

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owls are usually mottled gray-brown, with reddish brown faces and a neat white patch on the throat, but this birds face is rather light making me think it's fairly young. Looking at its lighter face color, small size and shorter ear tufts, I'd call it an immature bird. If it was a juvenile, there wouldn't be as noticeable an ear tuft, at all. Their overall color tone varies regionally with lighter tones found in the west. However, I still think the face would be darker on an adult bird.  

We Had A Stare Down.

After it (I can't tell the sex) relocated to another perch, we had a stare down. The bird rotated it's head 180 degrees around and back. Then it took off...in a flash.

Look at Those Feet!

• When clenched, a Great Horned Owl’s strong talons require a force of 28 pounds to open. The owls use this deadly grip to sever the spine of large prey. Because

• Great Horned Owls respond to intruders and other threats with bill-clapping, hisses, screams, and guttural noises, eventually spreading their wings and striking with their feet if the threat escalates, I'm so glad it left without hurting me for invading it's space.  

While I do love owls...I sure don't want one to pounce on my head!