Barred Owls

Facts: Barred Owls nest in tree hollows and the open tops of large snags. Even though they are nocturnal they will hunt during the day in the winter. Having such a varied diet means they don’t go hungry if one type of food source is scarce The acid in an owl’s stomach is not strong enough to break down fur and bones, which is why they cough up pellets after they eat. It is also why they need to eat fur - coughing up bare bones could scratch their throat! If you were a Barred Owl, where at IslandWood would you make your nest?

Why Owls Stare - A Choctaw Legend (Oklahoma)

Once upon a time, Owl and Pigeon were having an argument. Owl was boasting that there were more owls but Pigeon said that there were more pigeons. They decided to settle their argument by having all the owls and pigeons come to the forest and count each of them. On the day when they were all to be counted, the owls came first. There were so many owls that the trees were full! They laughed and said, "Oowah - wah - wah! " They were sure there could not be as many pigeons. Soon they heard a roar from east, then a roar from south and a roar from north. So many pigeons came and landed in trees that their branches broke. Owls could not believe there could be that many pigeons. They sat still moving their heads back and forth staring with wide eyes, while pigeons kept coming. "Oo! Wee!" said owls darting under trees and flying away. Now owls travel at night so they will not meet the pigeons, but they stared so hard and so long that their eyes just stayed that way. Adapted from http://www.firstpeople.us

Information: Owls of the World, Dr. James Duncan. Photos: Christina Doherty, Jamie Acker, Joe Furhman, http://www.usaref.org