Great-horned Owl Fun in 2019

[centrarchid]

Fun is underway with fresh carcass. This carcass of an American Dominique cockerel dead after complications from dog attack and fighting with two other roosters. Dog really to blame.

Owl coming and spending almost 2 hours over carcass. Observation area moved so as not to disturb chickens. Owl found carcass within hours of it being placed out. Owl appeared to attempt moving carcass but it is tied down. Other visitors include feral domestic cat, Lucy, and me.

Big tree behind chair obstructing my view from house so will cut tree down.

 

[centrarchid]

We had nasty weather last night into early morning hours. Also had major visitation to carcass, but no owl. Pup (tri-colored dog) knocked over the chair supporting carcass. Perimeter fix will be repaired tonight, although none of the visitors will be stopped by it. Opossum has been getting in even since she was little. She is now a big one.

Visitors as follows;
3 Domestic cats
2 Dogs (mine)
1 Opossum
Several rabbits, especially when opossum present
Crowned Sparrows
One cockerol about dawn.

Almost enough for a botched country version of a Christmas song.

 

[centrarchid]

Somebody was working on carcass much the day. The parting eating chewed through bones. It is being consumed around the clock. What started out as 7 lbs is barely three after only 36 hours. As I went out to set up camera, one of three cats was working on it.

 

[centrarchid]

Great-horned Owl has not returned to carcass. Cats expending the most time consuming it and they do so almost around the clock. Opossum did not return last night. Likely had close encounter with dogs. Carcass looks very different when consumed by cats.

Cats are largely licking meat off bones making for extremely shining look to remains.

 

[thecreekhouse]

Only two nights required to consume chicken carcass. Normally 4 to 5 nights required to consume bird the size this one. It could be single owl needs more food per unit time when cold or more than one owl. Either way, an owl camped out on carcass most of the night once dogs quit chasing it off.

Respectfully, why are you feeding a predator hanging around your chickens? My understanding is that once an owl or hawk finds an area with something tasty to eat, it will just keep coming back until it’s eaten all the food.

 

[centrarchid]

Respectfully, why are you feeding a predator hanging around your chickens? My understanding is that once an owl or hawk finds an area with something tasty to eat, it will just keep coming back until it’s eaten all the food.

Being respectful in return, the common knowledge of a raptor that just keeps coming back is incorrect. My place is in the owl's breeding territory. It will be around whether my chickens are present or not. By far and a away what the owls are consuming are not my chickens, rather they are eating mostly voles, mice, rabbits, songbirds, and other stuff (insects mostly) based on pellets regurgitated from the "owl" roost pole in the barn. The owl has had the opportunity to eat only 3 of my chickens in roughly the last year, and the current (largest) died from something else. This effort in the long term will be something people can come back and read to get a real understanding of what goes on, not just the unfounded common knowledge.

 

[centrarchid]

I see three reasons for which the Great-horned Owl visits almost every night.

 

[Suzi18]

I'm finding this thread fascinating. Thank you for posting it

 

[centrarchid]

I'm finding this thread fascinating. Thank you for posting it

I am cherry picking images. Otherwise everyone's bandwidth would be tied up with rabbits, cats and cardinals.

 

[centrarchid]

Time to brace for action with young of year owls. I can only confirm one so far and he begs very little. Parents having little trouble keeping him fed as prey extremely abundant. He is in back ground behind orchard where he has open sky behind him.