Great Horned Owl

[Wiliamr]

The owl that lives in the owl box in my backyard is named "Jack Screacher"

 

[Texasgordo]

Shoot
Shovel
Shut up


I usually don't mind owls except for the one that is eating my chickens at night. Easy meal on the tree.

 

[baboon]

There is a pair of Great Horned Owl's and Red tail Hawk's that have lived around my place for many years. I set on the front porch and watch them all the time.

Almost every year there are 20 - 30 Peregrine Falcon's that hang around my place for a several days. They roost in the trees around my house. It's fascinating to watch these bird's hunt, they will fly several hundred feet up in the sky and dive almost straight down at great speeds, and take other bird's out of the sky.

I've always enjoyed seeing the raptor's around my place.

I live close to the Houston Medical Center & see Peregrine Falcon's pretty regularly. Back when I could still walk the dog before work I'd hear owl fly by in stealth mode. One morning I noticed the side of my truck was all bloody from an owl apparently killing or eating something in the branches above.

 

[gdr_11]

Regarding the question about the rodent bait, that is what I meant. I do an aggressive rodent control program because the former property owner (and both of my neighbors did nothing):

- pruned all shrubs and small trees up off the ground a minimum of 12”.
- cleared all fence lines and keep them weed free.
- during leaf and acorn season, I sweep the grass 2-3 times a week
- cleaned area of all brick, lumber and rock piles and make sure all outside storage is at least 12” off the ground
- if there is any sign of rodent activity ( usually Spring time) I put out rodent blocks inside of PVC pipe sections. Usually only one or two are nibbled on, then I pick them up.

When I moved in 5 years ago I dealt with a number of mice and one rat, Haven’t seen a rodent in the last 4 years. My neighbors deal with copperheads and moccasins; I have not had one and its been two years since I saw a grass snake and then only when my dimwitted neighbor lets his pasture get a foot high and then mows from the center out to the fence.

Environmental control is 90% of snake control . Since I don’t have snakes, it means there is no food supply which means the owl is not there for rodents (except my bunny)

 

[BuzzinSATX]

I wasn't trying to call you out. It might well have been 2.5 ft from the feet to the top of the head. Great horned owls can get big. I was just sharing how goofy they look if you lift their skirts.

I understand, and no offense taken nor intended. Thinking back, I know it came up just past my knees when I was in hip boots, which I just measured as 24”, so probably 2” is a better guess.

Regardless, it was a big old bird for sure, and it was pretty animated and agitated, which made it look way scary. Only thing I’d ever caught that made me more nervous was a big old badger that I’d caught by a couple toes. But a .22 in the brain took the scrap out of him.