Do owls hunt during the day?

[chickbea]

In general, owls do not hunt during the day.

However, in years of very heavy snowfall (such as this one!), many of the large birds of prey are starving by the time Spring arrives. This year we have seen a lot of owls hanging around birdfeeders during the day, trying to pick off the little birds or whatever rodents are popping up through the snow to scrounge up the leftovers.

Driving home yesterday I saw a big redtail flopping about on the side of the road. I thought he had been hit by a car, so I stopped, but he was in the process of trying to kill a weasel. He was too weak to take off holding the weasel, but way to scrawny and hungry to be scared of me either! I was about 5 feet away from him but there was no way he was letting that meal get away! I've never been so close to a wild hawk in my life.

 

[bart40330]

http://store.theonion.com/img/uploads/426

 

[WriterofWords]

We have ground owls here in the desert that do come out during the day. I've never had trouble with them because they aren't much bigger than a two month old chick.

 

[ducks4you]

So sorry to hear of your loss.

Do you have a cover for your coop? I made mine out of chicken wire. The roll was 2.5 ft by 10 ft, and I had to cover a 10 x 10 area. SSOOOO....I measured and cut 4 equal segments and wired them together with fencing wire, then wired the whole piece to the top frame. The ONLY thing I would do this year (as I rebuild) is to attach two evenly spaced thin PVC pipes to keep it from sagging. HOWEVER, I had NO attacks from above with the cover.

 

[Faverolle]

Quote:
Absolutely yes to both attacking chickens!

 

[Faverolle]

Quote:
Most owls are nocturnal but quite a few species in the U.S. are diurnal and do hunt during the day, not just the snowy.