Fledgling Owls

If it is a young owlet with a fuzzy head and body but has fully grown wing feathers and a stubby tail, it is a fledgling just learning to fly.

Great Horned Owls reach the fledgling stage at 9-10 weeks after hatching. The time for fledging has arrived for this owl family and I had the opportunity to see and photograph them as they enter the next stage of life. This first picture was taken on the Terravita golf course where Mother Owl has established a nest in the crotch of a Saguaro cactus. The owlets have grown to a size where it’s getting really crowded in there. (Note the eyes of the third sibling peeking between the two owlets in front!)

Soon they’ll leave the nest, learn to fly and remain with their parents for another 5 months. In the meantime, Mother keeps an eye on the nest, ready to ward off any predators.

Here’s a picture of Mom, on sentry duty in a nearby tree. She’s very relaxed, seemingly unconcerned by my presence. Despite my moving around and taking pictures noisily, she remained very relaxed. Dare I say unflappable?

I took the next two pictures in another location, near the Terravita community centre. This fledgling is a little more advanced than the ones I saw in the nest. It appears to be airworthy, perched in a tree across the road from its siblings, relaxing on the portico in front of the clubhouse. Those two have ventured out of the nest but don’t yet appear ready to spread their wings.

My favourite of today’s pictures, the two reluctant siblings. Their mom was no where to be seen, perhaps off seeking dinner for her hungry owlets.

This photo is all about the eyes. Owls are know for their eyesight and these big eyes are their greatest asset. Most owls hunt and set up territory in the nighttime. This is because their senses are strong enough to live at night. It’s also easier for them to hunt nocturnal prey and avoid most of their predators.