A white owl

[mudhen]

Beatutiful creature! Thanks for posting the pics and sharing.

We had a white crow living around here for a couple of years. Even named our little place "White Crow" in its honor.

 

[NurseNettie]

Holy cow--- I so wish there were something near him to better judge his size, but that's one beefy bird!! Just beautiful!!

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
ooh yes there is a variety!

In your state:

Winter:
Snowy Owl (HUGE)
Grey Owl (HUGE)
Pretty sure you have Screetch owls too (lil cuties)


and theres more than likely plenty more, owls are pretty common creatures they're just normally not seen much for when they normally hunt is at dusk and in the night. But it's not uncommon to see them in the day time too...just like it's not uncommon to see raccoons out in the day time yet pepole shoot them when they see them because htey think it's unnatural for them to be out in the day time...they're not it's called opportunistic hunters.

 

[cayuga26]

very nice picture of a Great Horned Owl. It is quite a light coloured owl though are you located in the west by any chance? (some of the western birds are lighter in colour than the eastern ones).

Something I always find amusing but most people dont realize is that the Great Horned Owl is one of the most common predatory birds in North America they basicaly live everywhere and chances are everyone's house lies within some GHO's territory (even urban and industrial areas) they are realy adaptable animals. If you realy want to get an idea of how many there are in your area try spending a few hours (between 12:00 midnight and dawn) in late December or early January (at least here in Ontario) driving around and stoping to listen for them. During one Christmas bird count we had a total of (if my memory serves) 18 owls! and that was just GHO's!

Other owls have different times of the year when they are easier to find. Barred Owls are easiest to find in the late spring or early summer and than again in about October ish. They call to but are not quite as adaptive as Great Honred's.

Here in my part of Ontario we have:

Great Horned Owls
Barred Owls
Long-eared Owls
Short-eared Owls (though they are becoming much more rare)
Eastern Screech Owls
Saw-whet Owls

and during the winter months we often get
Snowy Owls
Northern Hawk Owls
Boreal Owls
and Great Gray Owls

not bad! lol I have a special love for owls I must admit though, it takes a special kind of person to spend cold winter nights out searching for them (one night it was -20 decrees celcious out and we still found a multitude of GHO's)

as one last thing the one think is funny is when people think they wont have to worry about owls as a nocturnal predator of there poultry, as I said earlier GHO's are basicaly everywhere so its only a matter of time till they figure out there is some free food affoot!

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
thanks for the awesome info Cayuga! I love owls and I've sadly never heard a GHO so now I know when I can try and listen for them (as long as it's simliar times of year here in PA). I know we have to have them I'v ejust never seen one here...I've seen one while I was hunting deer about an hour from my hom....i'm pretty sure it was a male, normal colored too.

People dont seem to realize too that owls will take down cats even

THAT fact makes me pouty but I still love owls.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Pretty--looks to be a Great Horned that is lighter than normal.

 

[theOEGBman]

Ahh, its so beautiful! Owls are my favorite bird of prey. I was out at my grandma's the other night and I could hear a couple calling, it was pretty cool! You usually see them fly around, but I've never heard em!

 

[deerman]

Seen many here in Ohio, but none that light. Wonder if its a new color mutation???????

 

[PheazAnts]

Interesting sighting! Specially for this owl to be feasting in the day as they are typically nocturnal or so I thought.

pictures