| Actual Image
All Grown Up (20)
tuslaw
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 252 W: 8 N: 682]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (2217) | One month ago I posted a photo of these baby Barn Owls. They were nothing more then little white fuzz balls at the time. As you can see they are all feathered out and ready to leave the nesting box.
Yesterday Rosie and I stopped at my Amish friends farm to see if I could get another shot of these little guys. He said he wasn't sure if they were still in the nest, but we could check on them.
One had already left, and from the size of them, I would guess that the other four will soon be on their own also. Barn owls remain in the nest from 9 to 12 weeks after birth.
One thing I did learn about barn owls from my friend was that the mother starts incubating the eggs as soon as they are laid. This results in some chicks being a little olded then their siblings. In a birds life this can make a real difference in their size and behavior.
The one owl up front was visibly more mature then the rest of the group. It seemed to stand guard over the others with it's wings stretched, protecting them like a mother hen. I will post another picture in the workshop which better demonstrates this action. I like the tiny one in the back who seems to be peeking out at me like a very small child, while standing behind his parents.
I'm sure this will be the last shot I get of these cute little guys, but it has been a lot of fun watching them grow into maturity. |
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