Adult Barn Owl On The Wing

Adult Barn Owl on the wing – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

So far this winter I have only seen one Barn Owl on the wing on the 6th of January as it flew over the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. That particular Barn Owl may have only taken flight because a young Northern Harrier was harassing it.

Until now our winter in northern Utah has been relatively mild and snow has been severely lacking. It snowed much of the day yesterday and as I type this more snow is falling. Usually I only see Barn Owls in flight during the winter when there is thick snow on the ground which means they have to hunt longer to get the calories they need to survive. Hunting prey through thick snow is hard for the owls.

I am always excited to see these gorgeous owls during the day. I also feel sad when I see them because I know they are stressed and need to find food.

With fresh snow on the ground chances are that some of these nocturnal owls will take to the air during the daylight hours until the snow that is currently covering the ground here melts.

In northern Utah the courtship and breeding season for Barn Owls starts soon. Actually the courtship period for Barn Owls without mates here may have already started. I wanted to bring this information up because I have seen other people say that Barn Owls are only seen in flight during the day in harsh winters. That is simply not always the case.

Barn Owls often have large broods which means there a lot of owlet bellies that need to be filled once the eggs hatch. The adult Barn Owls will hunt longer in the mornings and earlier in the evenings to supply their young with sufficient food.

I plan on getting out into the field as soon as I can to see if I can find a Barn Owl or two on the wing.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to view more of my Barn Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.