Owls of Harmony Hill
On February 5th, Sunshine and Lisa sent me a photo (see first photo) of some feathers they found on the ground, asking me to talk about where they might have come from and how they might have ended up on the ground. After taking a look, I was able to both see WHO they once belonged to and (most likely) HOW they found their way onto the forest floor.
The feathers are flight feathers that belonged to a Barred Owl (Strix varia) that probably found itself on the dinner menu for Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). First, how do we know these feathers belong to a Barred Owl? Let’s take a look at the feathers. Immediately, we see that they are barred. (Sometimes, we naturalists apply common names that make sense!) The dark gray/brown bars are interrupted by white bars, giving the bird its common name.
As for the scientific name, (Strix varia)... Strix is pulled directly from the Strix creature of Greek mythology, which relates to Polyphonte, who was turned into an owl by Hermes, as punishment for her feral twins engaging in cannibalism. The Strix would cry through the night, unable to eat. It is also one of the roots of the superstition of owls being a foreboding and unlucky omen. Most cultures revered owls and even saw them as good luck; but, this was part of the turning of the tide, making owls to be bringers of ill-fortune.
The species name, varia, means exactly what you think it does: diverse and various. This comes from the barred plumage of the owl.
Barred Owls are residents of low, wet areas. Beaver Creek, with its bottomland hardwoods and riparian habitats, makes a perfect place for them to live and breed. They have a varied diet, packed full of species found in and around rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, creeks and swamps. I’ve seen them hunting for snakes, lizards, crayfish, smaller birds, rodents, squirrels and even earthworms. (Seriously… I came upon a Barred Owl that had discovered quite the gathering of earthworms, gobbling them up as quickly as it could scratch them out of the dark soil.)
Now, how do I know this unfortunate bird fell victim to a Great Horned Owl? Well, not many things take on Barred Owls. But, Great Horned Owls definitely can and will! In fact, Great Horned Owls will take on just about anything. It isn’t uncommon for Great Horned Owls to actively hunt skunks, racoons, porcupines and young coyotes. Their strength (they posses 7x the gripping strength of an adult human) and their tenacity have earned them the nickname “Flying Tiger”.
There is a Latin variant, Bubo, which is likely an onomatopoeia of the low hooting of owls, that references large owls. The species name of virginianus gives us the name of the colony where Great Horned Owls were first described.
Great Horned Owls begin pair bonding in South Carolina in November and begin nesting in December. Incubation of the eggs goes through January and hatching is usually late January and early February. During incubation and, especially after hatching, hunting activity increases. The owlets will develop and grow until fledging in early May. During that time, the adults are taking anything they can to nourish and quiet the begging of the owlets. And, as you have already guessed, means Barred Owls are on the menu!
I’ve also included links to information on Barred Owls, with photos and videos for you to see them and hear their calls. They have a diagnostic “Who Cooks for You? Who Cooks for You All?” call, as well as a call that sounds like monkeys in a jungle. You will also find a couple of photos I’ve taken of Great Horned Owls, one perched on a limb and one of a female at a nest, with three owlets. I’ve also attached a short video I took a couple years ago with the usual “Hoot, Hoot” of the Great Horned Owl and the less common barking call that is heard during pair bonding.