Educating The Educator

Our Environmental Education Center sometimes educates the Naturalist…

I normally spend a few days each week working at the Environmental Education Center.  It’s a great place to see some fantastic birds, both indoors and outdoors, as well as some nice educational displays.  There’s also a “Touch Table” where you can get a hands on look at various animal bones, furs, feathers and more.

 When entering the Environmental Education Center keep an eye out for Dumpling--our official greeter!

Since the World Bird Sanctuary is a place for birds, we don’t allow dogs or any pets--in vehicles or otherwise--on our site.  We have signs posted at our entrance, but they aren’t always heeded by our guests.  If someone with a dog in their vehicle does venture in, it usually isn’t long before I hear it barking.  Anytime I hear the a dog barking, I have to find the owners and ask them to please remove the animal from our premises.  The birds just don’t like dogs, and can become very frightened by them.

There have been several instances when I have been working at the EEC and heard the “telltale” barking.  I always run outside immediately to find the source.  I had noticed on several occasions that when I ran out to find the offender, there was no dog to be found.  I shook it off, thinking that I must have been hearing things.  That was until last week, when I got a little education.

Our site had been closed due to snow and ice for several days.  I was eating lunch with our EEC representative, Dumpling the Bantam Cochin Chicken, at my feet.  Suddenly I heard that familiar barking sound.  Since we were closed, I was sure that no one had wandered on site with a dog.  Then it hit me.  In all that time I had worked at the EEC, I had never realized that Siesta, our Mottled Owl, can make a barking sound that closely resembles a dog.  Up until then I had only heard her make a cute little “chitter” noise.  I found out later, after talking with several of our Naturalists, that they had never heard her make a barking sound either.  I was truly shocked when I figured it out, and had to laugh at myself. 

 Siesta the Mottled Owl -- our little culprit!

I don’t know how many times I have gone running out of the EEC to find a dog that didn’t exist.  I wonder now if Siesta wasn’t sitting back and laughing at me in her own little way.  Thank goodness I finally caught her in the act and solved the “mystery barking”.  I just love when a bird ends up educating me at my expense.

Mottled Owls are native to Mexico and South America.  They live in a variety of habitats from forests to humid jungles, and up to 7500 feet above sea level.  They are about 13-15” in length, and like most owls, strictly nocturnal.  They have a varied diet, which can include large insects, small mammals, birds and reptiles.  They nest in a hole in a tree, tops of broken palm trees or in vacant nests.  I have come to find out that this species uses a variety of vocalizations such as hoots, whistles, screeches, screams, purrs, snorts, chitters and hisses.  They can also make a clicking noise with their tongue.

Next time you visit WBS, be sure to stop in the EEC and have a look at Siesta.  Maybe you will be fortunate enough to hear her bark.  Just be careful as you walk into the building, as Dumpling may be sitting near the door to greet you.

Submitted by Billie Baumann, World Bird Sanctuary Outreach Coordinator