Day 193

Barred Owls are called that because they have lovely brown stripes down their front, and a barred ruff on their necks. They are often found near creeks and streams, as frogs and other wet things are their favourite food, although this particular one was catching mouse-y things in the grass. They're the second-largest owl in Middle Tennessee, and are the most vocal- if you hear variations on "Who-cooks-for-you" around dusk or early in the morning, it's a Barred Owl. You can also often call an owl to you by mimicking their call- if there's one in the area it will reply, and will often fly up to have a look at you. The largest owls we get here are Great Horned Owls, whose favourite food is skunk. They're very territorial, and it's not unusual to hear of them divebombing people walking in a park around dusk (this is actually the only way I've seen one). The two smaller species are Barn Owls, which like nesting in old barns, and Screech Owls. Screeches hunt very late at night to avoid the bigger owls, and despite many observers' first assumption, are not in fact baby Great Horneds- they're smaller and less fluffy than baby Great Horned Owls. Taken 7.16.13.