Owl Prowls

Have you seen the latest hit movie The Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga’Hoole?  


Do you want to discover more about those amazing birds?  Your chance to learn about and see live owls is coming soon at the World Bird Sanctuary! 

A Barn Owl in flight

Starting in November join us for Owl Prowls where first you will be shown different species of owls up close, a few flying mere inches above your heads!  A sanctuary naturalist will talk about their characteristics, behaviors, and their unique hoots and calls, which you will learn how to imitate.  After the presentation, the naturalist will guide you on an easy night hike through the sanctuary.  You can hoot calls of native owls and try to lure a wild one in closer.

The classroom portion of an Owl Prowl 

The most common owls one may hear at night in Missouri are great horned owls, barred owls, and Eastern screech owls.  Another owl that inhabits Missouri is the common barn owl.  Despite the name, they are not very common anymore due to loss of their habitat and secondary poisoning.  Rare winter resident owls are the long-eared owl and Northern saw-whet owl, an uncommon winter resident is the short-eared owl, and very rarely snowy owls will migrate far enough south to winter in this area. 

Most people do not realize that owls have many different vocalizations other than just hooting.  For example, great horned owls are known for their booming hoots, but they also squawk, chitter, and bark.  Their appearance is very different than that of a barred owl.  Great horned owls have two feather tufts on the top of their head, and barred owls don’t.  Great horned owls have bright yellow eyes, and barred owls have dark brown.  Great horned owls have a white neck patch, and barred owls do not.

 Great horned owl - Note the feather tufts that resemble ears,  and the white throat patch

 

The typical call of a barred owl is a series of eight hoots ending in oo-aw, with a downward pitch at the end, sometimes with a gurgle sound.  The most common mnemonic device for remembering the call is "who cooks for you, who cooks for you all."  They also will make other types of calls and variations of each, some almost sounding monkey-like.  While calls are most common at night, they do call during the day as well.

  A Barred owl - note the round facial disk and lack of feather tufts

Eastern screech owls don’t necessarily screech, but make more of a whistled trill or a high pitched horse whinny.  Also, when they are annoyed they will make a rattling sound.  Eastern screech owls are the twelfth smallest owl out of around 200 species (is this world wide?) and are more often heard than seen.  They have excellent camouflage and when tucked away in tree cavities are almost invisible.   

 Acorn, an Eastern screech owl in the process of molting

 Owls and other birds use sound to attract and bond with a mate, pronounce and defend territories, beg for food and express alarm. Many owls will also hiss when they feel threatened or don’t want to be bothered.  There can also be differences between male and female calls and between adult, juvenile, and chick calls.  Often young owls do not hoot but make screeches or squawks when begging for food.  The common barn owl cannot hoot at all, even as an adult.  They produce eerie screams and will also make chirping noises.

 Goblin, a common barn owl

 During the Owl Prowl presentation, you will also be shown a few non-native species of owls as well as the ones discussed above.  The best time to hear owls or to call a wild one in is during fall and winter when they are establishing territories, and finding and courting mates.  The Owl Prowls at the sanctuary cost $9 for adults and $7 for children under 12, groups of 10 or more $7 regardless of age.  

Owl Prowls take place on the following dates:

November 5, 13, 19

December 4, 10, 18

January 21, 28

February 11, 19, 26

Owl Prowls begin at 7 pm and last approximately 2 hours.

Our trails are not paved, so wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather, since we will spend about an hour outside.

Advanced reservations are required.  Call 636-225-4390 ext. 0 to make your Owl Prowl reservation today!

Submitted by Sara Oliver, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist