(828) 526-0173 | [email protected] | Copyright 2024 – All Rights Reserved.
A Parliament of Owls
Written By: William McReynolds - Highlands Plateau Audubon Society | Issue: April 2024
This legendary creature haunts our forests and woodlands.
Barred Owl
Yes, we have owls, Barred Owls in particular. These magnificent birds are year-round residents of Western North Carolina. Their stillness and silence, even in flight, make it difficult to see them. But they are there, silent sentries in our trees.
Barred Owls (Strix varia) are uncommon and usually solitary. Notable characteristics are their dark eyes, streaked plumage and 42-inch wingspans. They are nocturnal creatures whose diet includes small mammals like chipmunks and mice.
From their high perches they survey the forest floor beneath them and swoop down silently in a second to subdue their unsuspecting prey. They are deadly hunters with sharp beaks and talons. Because they prey upon other birds, owls are unwelcome guests locally and are sometimes attacked by other birds.
Owls are steeped in myth and legend. Both the Sumerian goddess Lilith and Greek goddess Athena were depicted with a retinue of owls. In today’s fictional portrayals of talking animals, the owl is always the wise one. A collection of these mythologized birds is called a parliament (of owls).
The Barred Owl call is a haunting, polysyllabic series of hoots and howls that have been transliterated “Who cooks for you?” by bird watchers.
Barred Owls nest in tree hollows or they take a nest built by crows or Pileated Woodpeckers. Their nest will contain a clutch of 2-4 eggs that hatch in about 4 weeks. Fledging occurs in another 4-5 weeks. The fuzzy young nestlings emit a loud hissing sound that prompts the mother to feed them. The father brings food to the mother on the nest.
Owls have been known to live for 24 years in the wild. They are built for silent flight with unique feathers that lack the usual avian waterproofing to remain soft and flexible in the wind. Without water repellence they get waterlogged easily and owls cannot fly when wet.
Happy owling and April birding from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society. Listen at night for a series of falsetto hoots: “Who cooks for you?”
The Highlands Plateau Audubon Society, focused on enjoying and preserving birds and their habitats, is a Chapter of the National Audubon Society and a 501(c)(3) organization. For information on all our activities and membership, please visit highlandsaudubonsociety.org.
