Barred, Burrowing & Screech Owls

Barred owls live year-round in tall trees within the same swampy territory for years. They eat many kinds of small animals, including squirrels, chipmunks, mice, voles, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. When perching over water they drop down to catch fish or wade in shallow water in pursuit of fish and crayfish. Barred owls roost on branches and in tree cavities during the day and hunt by night. Territorial all year round, they chase away intruders by hooting loudly. Pairs often mate for life and raise but one brood each year numbering up to 5 owlets. Their nests are vunerable to be preyed upon by other large owls and hawks as well as by weasels and raccoons. Burrowing Owls are one of Florida's smallest owls, measuring about 9 inches in height with a wingspan of 21 inches. The typical breeding season is from the middle of February to mid-July. These owls construct intricate burrows or return to their old ones. Within a week, females lay between 8 & 12 eggs incubating them for up to 28 days. Owlets typically learn to fly within six weeks. At 12 weeks old, young still need to be fed by parents until they become independent. Burrowing Owls hunt during the day and at night for grasshoppers, crickets, moths, beetles, and mice. They also feed on dragonflies, giant waterbugs, caterpillars, earthworms, frogs, toads, snakes, and lizards. Eastern Screech-Owls are chiefly active at night, although they often hunt at dawn or at dusk. Occasionally they hunt during daylight hours. These versatile hunters sit patiently in trees for prey to pass below and pounce from perchesupto 6 to 10 feet off the ground. They also snatch insects or small mammals on-the-wing or by plunging in shallow water with their talons outstretched to snag fish or tadpoles. When nesting, the female remains in the nesting hole, with an occasional exception of a brief dawn and dusk hunting excursion. She, and the nestlings, are fed by the mate. The female then tears prey into small bits for the owlets to digest. The young learns fly and acquire hunting skills slowly. As a result, they also depend on their parents for food for up to 8 to 10 weeks after fledging (able to take flight). ( Information gathered from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission & The Cornell Lab of Ornithology)