Barn Owls at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
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A barn owl was initially spotted at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge on April 13, 2023 by Biology Intern Phoebe Jackson and Friends Career Pathways Wetland and Invasive Species Coordinator Trevor Zook. As the summer progressed, were excited to see that this was the very first time that the barn owl box was used since its installation more than 25 years earlier! The pair successfully raised 6 young.
Nest Box Cameras Hoping that the owls might return, the Friends added a pair of livestreaming cameras to the box. In 2024, a pair of barn owls returned to the nest box and laid 8 eggs. All 8 hatched and were well cared for by the parents. Having the camera meant that these owls had eyes on them at all times, and viewers were quick to note that "mom" went missing around June 25. About a week later, another adult female owl entered the nest, ate the youngest chick, and began intercepting food drops from "dad". It has been a fascinating glimpse into the world of barn owls! Here's our timeline of egg and owlet activity: #1 🥚Egg laid 4/22/24, 🦉hatched 5/23/24 #2 🥚Egg laid 4/24/24, 🦉hatched 5/25/24 #3 🥚Egg laid 4/26/24, 🦉hatched 5/27/24 #4: 🥚Egg laid 4/28/24, 🦉hatched 5/29/24 #5: 🥚Egg laid 4/30/24, 🦉hatched 5/31/24 #6: 🥚Egg laid 5/2/24, 🦉hatched 6/2/24 #7: 🥚Egg laid 5/4/24, 🦉hatched 6/4/24 #8: 🥚Egg laid 5/7/24, 🦉hatched 6/6/24, killed 7/1/24 by intruder (3rd adult barn owl) A Helping Hand With the decrease in food to the owlets right at peak food demand, we consulted with wildlife management and animal rehabilitation partners to determine if/when help was needed. Since only one parent has been bringing rodents to the nest and mom is assumed gone, a supplemental feeding of 12 rodents once a day as needed was determined to be the best course of action. We never imagined needing to do this, and we certainly didn't have a line item on our budget for rodents! Thankfully, our Friends came through for the owls, raising over $5,000 in a few days to help support the nest. Any funds left over from supplemental feedings will be used to build barn owl boxes, help cover the costs of running the livestream camera, and protect wildlife habitat on the refuge for species like barn owls. If you are interested in helping, please consider donating today! |
Above: A barn owlet full of fluffy down feathers. Below: An adult barn owl. Photos taken during banding by Lori Monska
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Barn Owl Adoption Kits
Take this opportunity to show your support for Ottawa Refuge's barn owls, or share your love of owls with friends and family, while helping to support Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge's conservation efforts. With this symbolic Barn Owl Adoption, you receive:
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Banding
Seven owlets and one adult were banded in July 2024 by Dr. Blake Mathys of the Ohio Dominican University. Each owl was carefully removed from the nest and placed into its own pillowcase for safe keeping. Each band has its own unique number that is recorded with the federal government so that if the bird is ever recaptured or found, scientists can reconstruct the movements of the individual bird. The band will also allow scientists to learn how long the individual lives. All of this data is important knowledge for learning about nesting and wintering grounds so that we can support conservation efforts of these specific areas. Watch the video below to learn more about the banding process!
