Great-horned Owl Fun in 2018

[centrarchid]

Owl is catching rabbits apparently about 1 every 3 days. It then drags kills along mowed grass ways to SE corner of cockyard where owl then either drags or flies with carcass down hill in a SE direction. Owl is using barn as hunting perch at least part of the time. It does not hoot when I can hear it even when not close. It appears to be sleeping in fence row SW of cockyard and lands on beehive in that area frequently.

A pullet that routinely fails to go back into pen at night roost down low inside some equipment the owl can not fly to. When owl came in previously, same pullet would hide in a 5-gallon bucket under work bench.

 

[chickencheeper]

What is your concern then? If you want to get rid of the owl then maybe try putting up one of those plastic ones. Owls provide great pest control though

 

[centrarchid]

The owl(s) does cause trouble once in a while.

See links below. I am racking up some experience with these guys. This year I will be trying to see more of what they are after when not after my chickens but in where I can observe them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/great-horned-owl-fun-in-2017.1180184/#post-18604841

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/great-horned-owl-fun-in-2016.1090039/#post-16735188

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/979818/great-horned-owl-fun-in-2015

 

[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.

 

[centrarchid]

Based on literature, Great-horned Owls will eat Barred Owls when they get the chance. Yet, they have overlapping territories. Barred were coming here only on moonless night while Great-horned where coming in only on moonlit nights. I have not seen any Barred owls on my place in over 4 years even though they are on road about 1/4 mile away frequently.

 

[centrarchid]

Great-horned Owl came into barn right at dark. A game pullet roosting on top of a pen in back corner of barn flew about 150' to land on the roof of a cockpen near gate along path to house. Dogs where into the fray very quickly making so owl had no chance at pullet. I did not see owl going in but I think was no where near pullet other than up where she could see it. I policed up pullet and placed her in a coop another 100' closer to house. In AM before dawn I opened it so she could get out. She did not come out until some time afternoon so likely worked up by owl encounter the night before. She stayed down around coop and gate until just before dark when she slipped back into barn and went directly to her usual roost inside the protected pen. If I was not aware of what happened, then pullet would have appeared to be missing for about 24 hours.

 

[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.

 

[centrarchid]

The owls may be dealing with migrating raptors. During day the Red-shouldered Hawks which appear to hold territories year round are working hard to keep migrants moving through. Yesterday we saw six a once with lower two residents screaming and displaying. Before thermals started up they were pushing migrants from perch to perch.

This may also be an outbreak year for northern owls where their prey base has crashed forcing them to move south. A Snowy White Owl would get the locals riled for sure.