Western Screech Owl

This week, we had the pleasure of tracking wonder with British Columbia's wildlife photographer Anthony Bucci. Anthony has an amazing talent for tracking and photographing North America's owls and was recently in the southwest to enjoy some of our local birds and owls.  One owl common to our area is the Western Screech-Owl. True to form, Anthony was able to find this nesting owl and create some amazing photos, giving us a glimpse of the little owl you have probably heard without knowing it.

Western Screech-Owls are small, about the size of a football.  Their feathers are brownish-grey, with lots of variation, which help them blend into their woodland or desert environment. They are nocturnal, coming out to hunt small rodents and insects later in the day and evening.

Adult Western Screech-Owls nest almost exclusively in tree and cactus cavities. They tend to remain in their nesting area year round, so there is a chance to see them even after the spring nesting season. This owl is quite common in the desert so several owls may be living in the same area, defending small nesting territories, but sharing a broader home territory.

Get in the habit of glancing at the holes in saguaro cactus plants.  The holes usually appear dark, but when you notice a lighter colored or blocked hole, take a closer look.  It just might be one of our small owls watching you move past their hangout. Listen for the "bouncing ball" call in which the sounds become closer together like the sound of a ball as it bounces closer and closer to the ground before coming to a stop.  Learn to engage all your senses, letting them pick up on the subtleties that will lead you to pure wonder.

References and Resources
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
The Owl Pages
Anthony Bucci Facebook
Anthony Bucci Flickr
Anthony Bucci National Geographic

Image: Sharon Pegany

As a side note, the Western Screech-Owl looks just like the Whiskered Screech-Owl, except for the color of their beaks.  The Western Screech-Owl has a black beak with a tiny bit of ivory on the very tip, whereas the Whiskered Screech-Owl's beak is completely ivory colored. Both can be found in Arizona, although the Whiskered Screech-Owl is not as common.

Cultivate Wonder... Discover Design

Silent Owl Wings

These beautiful birds move on silent wings. Try as we may, it is nearly impossible to hear the sound of an owl coming or going, so they often take us by surprise.

The secret to their stealthy movement lies in the design of their feathers. When air flows over a typical bird wing, turbulence is created, causing a rushing sound. Most bird feathers are stiff and rigid with almost pointy edges.  When air hits them, turbulence is created, causing sound.

Owl wing feathers have several ingenious designs that greatly reduce sound, especially when the wing tilts as the owl nears its prey. The leading edge of the owl's wing is covered with tiny comb-like structures that break up the incoming air into many micro pockets of turbulence. Those smaller gusts of air then flow over the owl's wing to the trailing edge which is made up of a soft fringe and separates or muffles sound even further.  Any remaining sound is absorbed by the downy feathers on the owl's legs and wings.

Owl wings are also larger and wider than the wings of most birds of prey, which gives them more lift so they don't have to flap as often.  Their large wings make them slower, but the combination of size and unique feather features create the perfect design for the nocturnal owl.

Check out these amazing videos which demonstrate the silence of owl flight when compared to other birds.
BBC - Super Powered Owls
KQED - See What Makes Owls So Quiet and So Deadly

Reference and Resources
Ask Nature

Nature

Image - Public Domain Pictures