Owl Family Settles in Mobile Neighborhood

By Jere Hough Meteorologist / Feature Reporter

Published: Thu, April 05, 2007 - 6:04 am
Last Updated: Wed, August 29, 2007 - 3:48 pm

Jere Hough

THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, IT'S EASY TO SPOT OR HEAR OUR ABUNDANT GULF COAST BIRD POPULATION. AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, SOMETIMES YOU CAN FIND SOME SURPRISING VISITORS TO YOUR YARD. THAT HAPPENED TO ONE LOCAL FAMILY...JUST DOWN COUNTY ROAD 5. HERE'S METEOROLOGIST JERE HOUGH.

About eight years ago Veterinarian Mike Rehm noticed a new family had moved into the neighborhood. Actually he heard them first...hooting...at night. This is mom...or dad owl, (they know the difference) and here is this year's offspring...an owlet.

They've used this hole in a front yard oak tree to raise their yearly broods.

Like all owls, barred owls are inactive during the daytime...although this one is clearly not asleep right now. At night they hunt...seizing prey with razor sharp talons.

Rehm says, "They find rats, moles, squirrels, birds, snakes. "I saw a rat yesterday. The mama feeding the baby had a rat in its mouth."

Owls eyes are fixed, so they have to turn their heads to see what's around them...or behind them! Incidentally, owls mate for life.

Jere Hough comments, "People around here spend a lot of time looking up in trees...just checking on some of their long-time neighbors. On County Road 5 in West Mobile, l'm Jere Hough, News 5."

(TAG) DR. REHM SAYS ALL OWLS CAN BITE HARD AND CUT WITH THEIR TALONS. IF YOU FIND AN INJURED OWL, WRAP IT IN A TOWEL BEFORE TRYING TO PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT TO A VETERINARIAN. .

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