December 18, 2019: A GHO at the North Nest
Video: https://youtu.be/pj-wZUm4J-U
Whhooo’s that on the North nest? A great horned owl! A GHO thrilled and worried watchers tonight when it came into the North nest with a rabbit. Is the North nest at risk? Could owls take it over?
We don’t see or hear GHO most of the year, but paired great horned owls often remain on their territories year-round. Like bald eagles at this latitude, they usually lay eggs in mid-February and, like bald eagles, they are becoming reproductively active. They are switching from silent mode to courtship: vocalizing, nest shopping, offering food gifts, and demonstrating their abilities and interest in pairing. We’re not worried about the North nest since most documented takeovers, bald eagle-wise, involve abandoned nests and the area is filled with potential nest sites for cavity nesting birds. Bald eagle and great horned owl pairs have lived in close proximity here for a long time. We’ll enjoy the owl weather while it lasts and maybe cross our talons just a little bit that everything works out well for Mr. North and DNF. It’s all good in the oak tree wood!
A million thanks to tonight’s camera operators and video makers for capturing and sharing this extremely cool moment with us!
To learn more about owls, check out the International Owl Center: https://www.internationalowlcenter.org/
The Raptor Resource Project