The Cornell Lab Bird Academy › Discussion Groups › The Wonderful World of Owls › Who Is That Owl?
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We recently were able to have a very close experience with a Barred Owl in Winnipeg. It was sitting beside Omand's Creek (frozen), about 10 feet up in a dead tree. We were able to get quite close to it. There had been a Barred Owl calling across the river recently. It might have been the same bird in its range. It was beside our creek for several days.
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Only at a bird rehab facility and at the National Aviary
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My partner and I rescued a Great Horned Owl in Vermont. We transported her to Vermont Institute of Natural Science where she was rehabbed. When she was ready to be released they allowed us to do the honors very near where she was found in Charlotte, VT. Pretty cool!
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Only once have I seen an owl. It was in the Okeefanokee swamp in GA, USA. I could not identify it, but it might have been a great horned owl.
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I am 6 years old and I live in Dubai.I went to the aquarium and I saw an owl with white feathers, short legs, and it was shaking its head from side to side. It was dark in that part of the aquarium and the owl was awake.
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The above posting is from my six year old granddaughter..who is quite interested in the natural world. I hope to expand that knowledge as she grows, and being in Dubai does present some diverse and interesting situations. Sometimes though, because of climate, these experiences are artificial; however, interest in the environment is flourishing here.
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I have seen and heard Barred Owls in Southwestern Ohio. We used to try to call them saying "Who Cooks for you? Who cooks for You all?" Sometimes they would hoot in response.
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I frequently hear and rarely see Barred Owls near my home in Arkansas. I have also heard and seen Great Horned Owls here, but much more seldom. One of my greatest owl memories is seeing a Great Horned up close and personal on a misty autumn day in the Rockies of Colorado. It was one of those magical moments in God’s creation!
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Great Horned Owl in North East Ohio, USA. I was looking for a woodpecker when I turned and saw the Owl, One of those WOW moments!
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I have seen a barn owl on my backyard fence. The owl has been featured in this course. I'm in Perth, Western Australia.
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I saw a Great Horned Owl several years ago, and I've heard one near my home recently, but have not been able to see it. I was also fortunate to see a Burrowing Owl this summer at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge.
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I live near a golf course near Phoenix, AZ with at least 50 burrow owls. We watch baby burrowing owls emerge from a hole across the street from our house every year. They spend the majority of their time in our yard as they are learning to fly. This type of owl has been mentioned in this course. They are very social and even have mating dances and vocalizations that I haven't really seen people talk about anywhere. I have also seen male burrowing owls fight each other over females in the spring. Here is a picture of one of them. I really enjoy watching their antics as they are very cute and make many sounds. One sound in particular is like a rattlesnake.
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Nice pic! That is so Cool!! Burrowing Owls are fascinating species and yes they will mimic the sound of a Rattlesnake. Its actually a deterrent to ward off any predators. Thank you
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@John Thanks! Hopefully we will have baby owls soon...
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I have seen quite a few owls in my life. When I was a child I found a red morph Eastern Screech-owl sitting in the bushes right at eye level. It was asleep and hardly opened it's eyes as I looked at it. It was intriguing and seemed like something out of an imaginary world to me. I will never forget it! Now I run in the mornings before the sun comes up. It is fairly common to hear Barred Owls. Many times I have heard them their courtship calls which get very emphatic and interesting. From time to time I see them but mostly at that time of day I hear them. I used to have a big light in my backyard that would automatically come on at night. The bugs would come to the light and a Barred Owl would come and catch and eat the bugs on a regular basis. Over the years I have seen the Barred Owls many, many times. I also have seen quite a few Great Horned Owls, including juveniles who recently left the nest. I once saw a Great Horned Owl swoop down and grab a snake out in the national forest. When in Belize this past March I saw both a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and a Spectacled Owl. Both were very special memories!
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Last year I went on a guided program to spot short-eared owls. This fall I went to various locations near my home to find Northern Harriers since I know they like the same habitat as the owls. Three weeks ago I saw my first, "I found it no one showed me," owl. I also have seen a Barred Owl that is a bit of a celebrity because he likes to hang out during the day where people can see him from a boardwalk in the Great Swamp. And I was fortunate to attend an owl banding session for Northern Saw-Whet owls. All of this was in Central NJ.
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this was taken 7 years ago, last time we saw an owl in our back yard. I think it is a Barred Owl. We live on 40 acres of forest but in total with our neighbors there is more than 160 acres. We hear the Barred Owl every year and the Boreal Owl. Used to hear the Great Gray but haven't in several years. We are in Eastern Manitoba Canada.
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We have Barred owls nesting on and around our property. We live in the country in Southwest Wisconsin.
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I have seen great horned owls in Michigan and at Grand Bend NP on the Rio Grand. I was surprised to spot this in the Everglades during the day in March 2020. This is the reason I’m looking forward to this class , to be able to identify better.
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The balcony of our 3rd floor apartment over looked a heavily wooded ravine, and we often heard a barred owl there. One evening we heard it out there and tried mimicking its call. After a few calls, three barred owls came flying out of the woods and perched on branches not far from our balcony. Easily one of the coolest things I've ever experienced!
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I have seen snowy owls near my place in open fields east of Toronto for past 3 winters. They also like to hang out at marinas on Lake Ontario. They are magnificent to watch!
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You are so lucky, Cyndi! Seeing a snowy owl is now on my bucket list. :-)
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Great Horned (at a distance - living in a ravine by our house) also, on a yearly basis at Presque Isle S.P. They've raised 2 chicks each year & can be observed from a paved path - watched over by Presque Isle volunteers to prevent humans from getting too close) Bad pic of chicks in nest. Barn Owl - Belize (chicks, too) at Lamanai Outpost Lodge. Discovered by our guide Barred (Presque Isle S. P. Erie, Pa.) Snowy - Presque Isle S.P. off the entrance to the channel a few years ago. Have one this year (2020) I haven't seen except photo online.
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In the wild I have only ever seen Great horned Owls but I am really hoping someday I see some other species.
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Wow, what a great picture, Wesley!
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- I see this Great Horned owl sitting up in a tree in my backyard in Central California frequently during the daytime. In the early morning hours I get up and see it up on a pole that over looks the agricultural fields over our back fence, and at dusk, I have seen him there too. I have noticed less of the field mice making it into my backyard this year, and am thinking I have this guy to thank for that.
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I've seen owls on evening walks and while cross-country skiing. I suspect many were the great horned owl common to our region.
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I have seen an owl a couple of times: once in the jungles of Ecuador (pictured below) and once, a great horned owl, in the woods behind our house in Cherry Hill NJ. I tried to imitate the call of the great horned owl and, likely by coincidence, it flew closer.
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