Great-horned Owl Fun in 2018

[Trish1974]

@centrarchid Would you happen to know if great horned owls and barred owls will share territory, or do the great horned owls run off the barreds? I moved into my current property exactly 4 years ago, and have always had lots of barred owls. Late summer/ early fall I started hearing great horned owls and all my barreds disappeared.

 

[Trish1974]

I have noticed a HUGE increase in owl activity the past couple days. Can't help but wonder if they are starting courtship/mate-finding. For the first time since October I heard barred owls last evening. Sounded like there were 3-4, putting on one hell of a concert! Saw a Great-Horned owl fly across the marsh behind my house around 2:00 in the afternoon a few days ago. I hear the barreds to the west of me, and hear the great-horned owls to the east. Seems they are keeping their distance from one another, but this is the first time I have heard both species at the same time and I have lived here for 4 years.

 

[centrarchid]

Your owls should already have eggs in the nest. Territories were being established back in October and possibly November when they also boot out previous brood if they have any.

 

[Trish1974]

Wow, I would have never guessed they'd lay eggs this early in the year. I wonder what all the commotion is about then? Regardless, its nice to hear them. As long as they continue their non-interest in my flock.

 

[drumstick diva]

all this has been fascinating, I hope my elderly brain can retain most of what I have been reading.

 

[centrarchid]

I was not certain at first if dealing with GHO, but confident now. Account linked below.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-hen-attacked-in-barn-roosting-above-cages.1254617/

It appears to be one of the juveniles observed earlier in the season. Loss of four chicks and damage to broody hen recorded. One of the pullets in pen attacked on second night had to be removed to another location as she was damaging herself trying to get out of cage the following morning. She was the smallest in the group so was likely the owls target of choice.

 

[centrarchid]

Owl came in to work pens hard in the early morning owls. First it pecked at dried carcass that is pushing 2 weeks old with little more than skin and feathers on the remaining bones. After that sequence not clear but birds in multiple pens were disturbed an off the roost. Only one group in pasture was bothered. Most effort was expended in barn. Owl killed a juvenile Missouri Dominique. Location and processing of carcass was atypical. I will assess damage more thoroughly in a bit.

I am also dealing with a Opossum so may have a more complicated issue. Tonight I will be giving both critters hell if fireworks let up. My dogs are useless when fireworks are going off.

 

[centrarchid]

Website dysfunction has my postings delayed.

The last 24 hours have been exceptional with respect to predator action. Owl came back but caused no damage. No I have images of two Opossums, one fully adult and another mall enough to get easily through 2 x 4 welded wire. To top that off we ran a Red Fox off on the way to the barn! All but the larger Opossum came in over night.


Relatively small Opossum feeding off carcass killed by GHO less than 24 h before.

I am going to terminate both Opossums in short order.

 

[centrarchid]

Was the juvenile Missouri Dom killed in the pasture or the barn? How was the owl able to kill it if it was penned?

Killed it in the barn, by GHO. I have yet to see it directly, but GHO reaches through wire with either head or foot and grabs victim pressed up against wall of pen. Owl then employs cervical dislocation to quickly kill victim. Owl usually tries to move smaller victim to better location for consumption, but when unable begins consumption on the spot. The GHO's are wiling to get into tighter locations than I thought likely once they have a prey item. It could really put owl in bind if my dogs can get close.

Owl forces victims in pens to flush from roost and panic into corner of pen. Mature chickens (games) seem resistant to that approach.

It is easy to find accounts of parties where owls kill penned chickens. Chicken wire is actually very effective against owls.

 

[centrarchid]

Real owl fun now! Think two pairs are squabbling over turf in trees about 100 yards to east of house. Loud and close.