Comments on: Mystery chef

By: nextdoornature

nextdoornature — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:30:06 +0000

Hi Ingrid. I’m so glad to know you enjoyed this essay. It could very well be that your barred owl mistook the furry toy for food — although perhaps s/he had an even bigger meals in mind. My guess is that it was probably a young bird who needs some time to hone its hunting skills (not to mention the ability to recognize that trying to carry off a little boy falls under the heading of “biting off more than you can chew”). That could explain why the bird would be hungry enough to throw caution to the wind and attempt a risky daylight raid!

By: ingrid

ingrid — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:38:58 +0000

Great post and information! I wonder if you might have any insight into a situation I recently photographed — where a Barred Owl swooped down on a child’s backpack (furry toy attached), then grabbed the boy’s hat off his head. The owl took the hat up to a nearby limb, toyed with it in her beak and talons, and held it for probably 10 or 15 minutes before dropping it below to the waiting youngster. Do you have any idea if this might have been mistaken identity (prey), territorial behavior, or some other manifestation of Barred Owl Curiosity? I haven’t had in-depth field experience with owls. Here’s the photo and blurb: http://bit.ly/tlDoEO

By: barb19

barb19 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:03:00 +0000

I loved reading about the barred owl and the way you describe their eating habits (or not!)
Owls in general are such fascinating and interesting birds, and I love the way they look at you!
I’d like to share your post on my FB page which is about animals, and hope it helps you reach your second goal of 10,000 hits! Let me know if it’s ok.