Jan 08 2009
Daytime Owls
One of the best things about winter in Pennsylvania is the influx of tundra birds who spend the season here. My favorites are the daytime owls: snowys and short-eareds.
Snowy owls are rare but short-eared owls are easily found in grassland habitats at recovered strip mines, especially at Volant and West Lebanon. They’re there because there’s a lot of food: mice and voles.
It’s always amazing to see an owl during the day and short-eareds put on quite a show. They are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) so they can appear a couple of hours before sunset on dreary days.
Their flight is mothlike, floating over the fields as they hunt for small mammals. Sometimes they “bark“ when they encounter another owl or when annoyed by an enemy such as a red-tailed hawk. Sometimes they interact in an aerial display (click on the photo above).
I’ll never forget the time Marcy Cunkelman took me to see the short-eared owls at West Lebanon. We parked on a side road in the middle of the grasslands and stood next to Marcy’s car waiting for sunset. It was cold so we pulled up our hoods and put our backs to the wind.
The sun had set but the sky was still light when the owls finally appeared in the distance. Marcy said, “I’ll bring them closer,” pursed her lips and made squeaky mouse-like sounds. The owls were unimpressed and continued floating over the distant fields. Marcy squeaked again and again.
Suddenly, an owl we hadn’t seen flew from behind and crossed directly in front of our faces. He looked back at Marcy as if to say, “Where’d you hide that mouse?”
I went to Volant last weekend and tried to call in the owls but I was never been able to match Marcy’s squeak. The owls ignored me completely.
(photos by Cris Hamilton, taken at Volant Strips. Click on the photo above to see Cris’ picture of two owls interacting.)
Funny you should post this, I went to Imperial and watched the owls today in the evening. I had 8 Short Eared owls fly around the “Toy Airport”. They do put on quite a show!
Owls are unique, aren’t they? Nice article. There is a Barred Owl that can be seen in the daytime (usually around 10 or 3) that I and Steve Gosser have photos of (of course Steves are much crisper than mine) that roosts at Crooked Creek Park/Lake. I’ll have to venture up to the Volant strips one of these days to see the Short Ears, tried West Lebanon, but all I got to see there last spring or fall were the Harriers and Kestrels (and a few Flickers on the road).
I just love your site and all the little hidden nuggets you add for us to find. The bark sound is great! It is nice to hear them even if you have never seen them! Marcy is great! Her gardens are inspiring. Always something new to see. I could just spend an afternoon watching all the birds in her yard!
Please keep up the good work! and Thanks again!!
I am interested if anyone knows of what type of owl can survive in Chicago. Last year, February 09 an owl came to my window. There is a long story behind it, but I am just wondering what type of owl I saw. Thanks!
It was grey- long feathers… and big!
Nicole, I assume you live in the city or one of the nearby suburbs of Chicago, in which case the owls you’re most likely to see are Great Horned Owls (as big as a large hawk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Horned_Owl) and Eastern Screech-owls (about the size of a pigeon but with a short tail and fat neck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Screech_Owl). Both of these owls have ear tufts on their heads.
Great Horned Owls are courting now so they are noisier and more conspicuous than usual. Their color varies from gray to brown and they are BIG. An Eastern Screech-owl is relatively petite (see here http://www.yorkcenterforwildlife.org/eastern-screech-owl.php).
If you live out in the country, let me know. A wider variety of owls is possible there.