During this nesting season, I have been watching this male Great Horned Owl since early February. He does all the hunting while his mate spends 100% of her time on the nest … first incubating and then tending to the young. It also his job to attack any crows which venture to near the nest.
Based upon signs I have seen at the bottom of his favorite perching trees, the family has dined on rabbits, a barred owl, crows and pigeons (lots and lots of the last two kinds of birds). In fact, while standing underneath the nest today, a crow’s feather fluttered down right by me.
After two nesting seasons of watching this pair of owls, they pretty much ignore me. The nest is extremely well hidden and way up high in a white pine tree. Here is a photo I took of Mom with one of her chicks early this morning.
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