Скачать или смотреть April Branches! Eldest Barred Owl Nestling Ventures Outside Nest Box – May 4, 2022

April has branched on May 4 at 33 days old! Under cover of night, the eldest owlet climbed up from the nest box and (with encouragement from its mom) stepped out onto the perch near the entrance. This marks a big step for the young owlet, as it was its first journey outside the nest box! April would eventually return to the safety of the next box after a long bout on the perch.

Young Barred Owls are poor fliers but adept climbers at this stage, and we won't likely have to wait long until April is ready to leave the nest box for good. It's not uncommon for recently branched owlets to eventually drop to the ground and climb up nearby trees. In past years, we've also seen the owlets explore the areas directly above the nest box and even make short flights to nearby trees.

Stay tuned for another amazing year watching the Wild Birds Unlimited Barred Owls. Watch live at http://allaboutbirds.org/barredowls for information, highlights, and a link to the outside view.

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Jim Carpenter, President and CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited, has hosted a camera-equipped owl box in his wooded backyard since 1999. Set more than 30 feet high against the trunk of a pignut hickory tree, this Barred Owl box was first occupied in 2006. Since then, the box has hosted several nests, including successful attempts since 2013.

The camera system was updated in 2021 with a 1080p Axis P3375-LVE security camera and connected to Jim’s house via 200 feet of ethernet cable. To keep predators like raccoons from investigating the nest, aluminum flashing was wrapped around the tree. An infrared illuminator in the box means you can keep track of the owls’ comings and goings throughout the night (don’t worry—the light is invisible to the owls).

Since the birds aren’t banded, we can’t tell whether this is the same pair as in past years. Although male and female Barred Owls look alike in their plumage, females can be up to a third bigger than males. You can also tell the difference between them by watching their behavior; only the female incubates the eggs and chicks, but the male is responsible for the bulk of the feeding, ferrying prey items to the incubating female, and sharing them with her inside and outside of the box.


Learn more about Barred Owls in our AllAboutBirds Species Guide at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/b....

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