The Great Horned Owl is mostly known for the the large tuft of feathers on its head that look like horns and its big yellow cat-like eyes. In late fall and early winter the low muffled hooting of the Great Horned Owl may carry for great distances. The males are signaling that they are begining to occupy breeding territories.
The males and females sometimes sing duets, the male calling the well-known pattern of four to five, "whoo, whoo-hoo, whoo, whoo". The females respond with a higher pitched two-syllable call or six to eight lower pitched hoots, "whoo, whoo-hoo, whoo-hoo, whoo-hoo". Males hoot throughout the year, but females hoot only during mating season. Mates find each other through hooting rituals, which increase as the mating season approaches.
Young owls ( an owlet, or more than one are a "clutch", and a group of owls are called a "Parliament") still in the care of their parents make loud, persistent hissing or screeching sounds that are often confused with those of a barn owl. There are usually 2 eggs per nest depending on the environmental situation. The incubation period is from 27 to 33 days. The female does all the incubation while the male owl hunts for food and brings it to her. Young owls leave the nest and move into nearby branches at six weeks and start flying about a week later.
But they are not competent fliers until they are ten to twelve weeks old.
(Copyright 2013)
No comments:
Post a Comment