No pictures to post because we haven't seen it yet! But Iris's behavior is indicating that she probably has a chick. I'm carefully reviewing every video sequence where she stands up to see if I can glimpse something under her, and listening carefully for any chicky sounds. I'm also watching for any signs of eggshells, either lying around or being eating. I'll let you know when I have definitive evidence.
But the way she fusses so carefully under herself for so long and so often, I'm convinced we've got a little owlet. So imagine it drying off and turning into a cute little fuzzball, with Iris gently preening its tiny feathers. And we'll watch for chick number 2 to arrive sometime in the next couple of days.
In the meantime I think Iris has realized the raccoon and cats that have been trying to get to their food tray lately simply can't get into the cage. When they show up she certainly goes on alert, but she doesn't get out of the nest now like she did for the raccoon a couple of nights ago.
Alice the Great Horned Owl is a permanently injured owl who works at the Houston Nature Center in Houston, MN and lives with her handler, Karla Bloem. Rusty and Iris are Great Horned Owls that are both blind in their right eyes and cannot live in the wild. Rusty and Iris are breeding in captivity as part of Karla's vocal study on Great Horned Owls. All together they have led to the creation of an International Owl Center in Houston, MN and an International Festival of Owls.
What will happen to the owlets after they grow? Will they be taught to hunt and then released?
ReplyDeleteGsogirl shared a picture of what she thought could be part of a shell in Iris's beak.
ReplyDeleteIt's kinda blurry.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74050947@N02/6927386493/in/photostream
At approximately 10 p.m. Mountain time (11p.m. your time) Iris stood up fussing around under her and I saw a white head bob and a tiny wing flap.
ReplyDeleteJust before 1:30am central, the cat (or raccoon) showed up and made quite a racket, but Iris did not get up. I snapped a screenshot http://www.flickr.com/photos/65468359@N03/6781658122/
ReplyDeleteI have some pics of the goings on this morning and looks like a Pip in the egg that can be seen..
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/67628954@N05/?saved=1
Have more loading.. Iris is trying but she seems not to be able to tear food yet..
The young will be released (hacked) to the wild at this location after they have developed their full territorial hoot.
ReplyDeleteYes, the cat was back.
The infamous pip that a few people have reported is a chunk of Astroturf sticking out from the mat in the foreground that looks a lot like a pip when in front of any egg.
Alot of interesting noises from Iris @ 5:33 PM EST
ReplyDeleteWolphie, those are clucking chitters that Iris made. Rusty does these too, but his sound more like pig grunts. They are done in the nest, around food, and sometimes when Rusty hoots to Iris.
ReplyDelete