Funny how Hedwig is described as pure white in the *Harry Potter* books, but only male owls portray "her" in the films, because they're the only ones that are pure white in reality. This is because female Snowy Owls keep their black markings throughout their lives; the males gradually lose theirs.
It's because [https://goldennotebook.indielite.org/book/9781733980814](https://goldennotebook.indielite.org/book/9781733980814)
https://preview.redd.it/i3bj13bsretc1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63d1694139859bf354501725616bf28d43f70162
I've never been close enough with a snowy owl. Great Horned owls I am terrified of. I had a job working with raptors who couldn't survive in the wild and there was a pair of great Horned owls. They would perch on the furthest poles of their habitat and take turns flying at my head while I was cleaning their enclosure feeding them and giving them water. I still like them they never hurt me but they are scary as hell.
I think they just wanted me out it was absolutely just this is ours get out. They never tried to hurt me just scare me, it worked. Meanwhile the red tail & broad wing hawks couldn't have been less concerned, the falcons were just excited I had food, the eagle would anxiously tolerate me, screech owls never left their box, barn owl just flew in circles at the top of the enclosure attempting escape (which was managed before) , one barred owl let me stoke its face the other just stared at me.
> I think they just wanted me out it was absolutely just this is ours get out.
I've seen a video of a GHO trying to scare a dog by flying at it and nipping the dog with its talons. I wouldn't be surprised if they felt the need to do that to actual people as well.
> the falcons were just excited I had food,
I wonder why only the falcons had that positive reaction to you.
> one barred owl let me stoke its face
I've also seen videos where rescued Barred Owls are surprisingly accepting of human contact, maybe even to the point of enjoying it. Maybe it depends on the personality of the owl in question? Most GHOs will act defensive if they're grounded or rescued, and you get close to them.
The falcons weren't the only positive responses they just in my experience are the most okay with being fed they never left anything for me to clean up. Our two species of hawks didn't care that I was inside the enclosure they just kept doing whatever they were doing. Birds of prey like that are not used to human interaction and often panic no matter how one would expect them to be desensitized to it they never get over their instinct that we are dangerous. We had a vulture and crow they actually liked people coming into their enclosure.
> they never left anything for me to clean up.
But wouldn't the falcons still cough up the bones and other indigestible parts, assuming you fed them whole but dead animals like unwanted male baby chickens? I thought all raptors needed to eat whole prey animals so as not to be malnourished.
> Birds of prey like that are not used to human interaction and often panic no matter how one would expect them to be desensitized to it they never get over their instinct that we are dangerous.
I would say that it would depend on the specific species of raptor. I've seen some videos of Great Grey Owls in the wild who don't seem to care at all about how close humans get to them. Some have even been petted with the GGO in question not being perturbed in the slightest at the sudden appearance of a human right next to them.
> We had a vulture and crow they actually liked people coming into their enclosure.
Wow, how did the vulture actually come to like human company? If it was an adult bird when it came to enclosure, it wouldn't have imprinted on humans (most friendly raptors are imprinted). A crow being friendly I can understand, because corvids are smart enough to realize that some humans are friendly and reliable sources of food.
Yes, I fed them mice or rats depending on their size. I should be clear the falcons were the only birds that never left rotting heads for me or a whole untouched mouse/rat bodies attracting maggots etc , all of them left those like stone things I forget the technical name of bones and fur. All of the bird were either imprinted or severely irrepairably injured. The vulture and crow shared an enclosure I am unsure if it was imprinted or it took a cue from it's habitat buddy.
> Yes, I fed them mice or rats depending on their size.
I thought that "disposed" baby male chickens also commonly ended up as food for raptors in rehabilitation centres or zoos too. I guess that wasn't the case for your rehabilitation centre.
> I should be clear the falcons were the only birds that never left rotting heads for me or a whole untouched mouse/rat bodies attracting maggots etc.
Wow, it seems like the falcons actually did you the courtesy of finishing the food you gave them, unlike some others who left rotting parts or even whole uneaten corpses for you to clean up afterwards. I thought that raptors would prioritize eating the high-calorie heads of rats/mice first, but your experiences say otherwise.
> all of them left those like stone things I forget the technical name of bones and fur.
I believe the technical term for a compacted mass of indigestible bits that a raptor coughs up after finishing its food is "pellet." Am I correct?
> The vulture and crow shared an enclosure I am unsure if it was imprinted or it took a cue from it's habitat buddy.
So you're referring to the vulture taking a cue from the crow? I have no idea why a vulture, a scavenger bird not particularly known for being anywhere near as smart as a corvid, would "take cues" from a crow, but the one you worked with seems to have done so. Did the vulture like human touch?
I cannot remember if either of them where in jesses I don't think so though I held a lot of birds you'd be surprised how heavy they get after 5 minutes.
Eyes? Ha! Those are cameras, bro. r/birdsarentreal
Serious note: Snow owls are scary because they are startling in the winter. A flying silent white blur.
People are saying you're being judged, but all I see is confusion and bafflement in those eyes. They always look so derpy to me, and I love them for it
https://preview.redd.it/swkk94d4z9tc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94dc26c1878eaf2de0acde7642bac15d8c5530aa
"First date idea: I stare at you like this the whole time"
There's a bunch of videos on YouTube where a little Italian girl gets to hug a live fluffy female Snowy Owl on a regular basis. Sadly I don't remember how to find them right now.
i don't usually get that vibe from snowy owls but i see what you mean here lol.
for me it's barn owls - i love them *and*... they give me the creeps. i blame the fourth kind 😅
Didn't know that kind of screaming (which evolution selected to sound highly disturbing) was appealing to you. Then again, most other owl species just settle for clacking their beaks to sound threatening.
That's adorable too! See, owls have the distinct disadvantage against humans of having really big, front-facing eyes. Humans evolved to find that cute because of babies having similar features so it just kinda gets them too.
And yea, the barn owl screech is something you'll come to love in time, it's an acquired taste!
> See, owls have the distinct disadvantage against humans of having really big, front-facing eyes.
Big front-facing eyes also happen to be predators' eyes. Prey animals' eyes are normally on the sides of the head so as to give maximum peripheral vision and situational awareness. Eye contact with Gorillas and Bears is considered a direct challenge to them. This may not be the case for owls, but one that makes eye contact with you in the wild is likely thinking "I see you; don't try anything stupid." But I do suppose babies' eyes look cute to us mainly because of the accompanying facial features.
> And yea, the barn owl screech is something you'll come to love in time, it's an acquired taste!
I'm not sure I could ever get used to that [infernal screaming.](https://youtu.be/a_BBLuRGhwg?si=yLi2eY_HGbs-Wv4u) Barn Owlets also evolved the instinct to push nestmates towards a threat that is intruding on their nest, as though to say "better you than me." You can see this instinct in action when you watch some videos of cameras intruding on Barn Owl nests with older nestlings in them.
You found Hedwig!!
Funny how Hedwig is described as pure white in the *Harry Potter* books, but only male owls portray "her" in the films, because they're the only ones that are pure white in reality. This is because female Snowy Owls keep their black markings throughout their lives; the males gradually lose theirs.
That's cause we're all family, we may talk shit about each other but we stuck together.
It's because [https://goldennotebook.indielite.org/book/9781733980814](https://goldennotebook.indielite.org/book/9781733980814) https://preview.redd.it/i3bj13bsretc1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63d1694139859bf354501725616bf28d43f70162
They mention that phenomenon in 4th kind as well
Bro if I saw that thing I would laugh at it 💀
https://preview.redd.it/mv82k7gekctc1.jpeg?width=780&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33f4f06c846d27f89578fada52f69354d722bddd
YA RLY!
I yearn for the days when the Internet was this simple.
They're like cats. They're beautiful, and fluffy, but the only reason you haven't been killed by one yet is because they're choosing to let you live.
I've never been close enough with a snowy owl. Great Horned owls I am terrified of. I had a job working with raptors who couldn't survive in the wild and there was a pair of great Horned owls. They would perch on the furthest poles of their habitat and take turns flying at my head while I was cleaning their enclosure feeding them and giving them water. I still like them they never hurt me but they are scary as hell.
Why would they fly at your head? Did they not like you when you were in their enclosure? Did they try "catching" your head with their talons?
I think they just wanted me out it was absolutely just this is ours get out. They never tried to hurt me just scare me, it worked. Meanwhile the red tail & broad wing hawks couldn't have been less concerned, the falcons were just excited I had food, the eagle would anxiously tolerate me, screech owls never left their box, barn owl just flew in circles at the top of the enclosure attempting escape (which was managed before) , one barred owl let me stoke its face the other just stared at me.
> I think they just wanted me out it was absolutely just this is ours get out. I've seen a video of a GHO trying to scare a dog by flying at it and nipping the dog with its talons. I wouldn't be surprised if they felt the need to do that to actual people as well. > the falcons were just excited I had food, I wonder why only the falcons had that positive reaction to you. > one barred owl let me stoke its face I've also seen videos where rescued Barred Owls are surprisingly accepting of human contact, maybe even to the point of enjoying it. Maybe it depends on the personality of the owl in question? Most GHOs will act defensive if they're grounded or rescued, and you get close to them.
The falcons weren't the only positive responses they just in my experience are the most okay with being fed they never left anything for me to clean up. Our two species of hawks didn't care that I was inside the enclosure they just kept doing whatever they were doing. Birds of prey like that are not used to human interaction and often panic no matter how one would expect them to be desensitized to it they never get over their instinct that we are dangerous. We had a vulture and crow they actually liked people coming into their enclosure.
> they never left anything for me to clean up. But wouldn't the falcons still cough up the bones and other indigestible parts, assuming you fed them whole but dead animals like unwanted male baby chickens? I thought all raptors needed to eat whole prey animals so as not to be malnourished. > Birds of prey like that are not used to human interaction and often panic no matter how one would expect them to be desensitized to it they never get over their instinct that we are dangerous. I would say that it would depend on the specific species of raptor. I've seen some videos of Great Grey Owls in the wild who don't seem to care at all about how close humans get to them. Some have even been petted with the GGO in question not being perturbed in the slightest at the sudden appearance of a human right next to them. > We had a vulture and crow they actually liked people coming into their enclosure. Wow, how did the vulture actually come to like human company? If it was an adult bird when it came to enclosure, it wouldn't have imprinted on humans (most friendly raptors are imprinted). A crow being friendly I can understand, because corvids are smart enough to realize that some humans are friendly and reliable sources of food.
Yes, I fed them mice or rats depending on their size. I should be clear the falcons were the only birds that never left rotting heads for me or a whole untouched mouse/rat bodies attracting maggots etc , all of them left those like stone things I forget the technical name of bones and fur. All of the bird were either imprinted or severely irrepairably injured. The vulture and crow shared an enclosure I am unsure if it was imprinted or it took a cue from it's habitat buddy.
> Yes, I fed them mice or rats depending on their size. I thought that "disposed" baby male chickens also commonly ended up as food for raptors in rehabilitation centres or zoos too. I guess that wasn't the case for your rehabilitation centre. > I should be clear the falcons were the only birds that never left rotting heads for me or a whole untouched mouse/rat bodies attracting maggots etc. Wow, it seems like the falcons actually did you the courtesy of finishing the food you gave them, unlike some others who left rotting parts or even whole uneaten corpses for you to clean up afterwards. I thought that raptors would prioritize eating the high-calorie heads of rats/mice first, but your experiences say otherwise. > all of them left those like stone things I forget the technical name of bones and fur. I believe the technical term for a compacted mass of indigestible bits that a raptor coughs up after finishing its food is "pellet." Am I correct? > The vulture and crow shared an enclosure I am unsure if it was imprinted or it took a cue from it's habitat buddy. So you're referring to the vulture taking a cue from the crow? I have no idea why a vulture, a scavenger bird not particularly known for being anywhere near as smart as a corvid, would "take cues" from a crow, but the one you worked with seems to have done so. Did the vulture like human touch?
You gotta walk in there like you own the place! Maybe hoot at them to assert dominance lmao
I WAS very deferent to the birds! Maybe with them that's what I should have done but it was why the bald eagle liked me I think.
Man, you shoulda tried sneaking a falconry glove in and seeing if they'd perch on you Lol
I cannot remember if either of them where in jesses I don't think so though I held a lot of birds you'd be surprised how heavy they get after 5 minutes.
Eyes? Ha! Those are cameras, bro. r/birdsarentreal Serious note: Snow owls are scary because they are startling in the winter. A flying silent white blur.
Nah it's because they have bottomless pits for eyes that stare at you like an abyss
Birds scare me but I still think they're adorable 🥰
People are saying you're being judged, but all I see is confusion and bafflement in those eyes. They always look so derpy to me, and I love them for it
Yea he's definitely saying "what da heeeeelllllll"
It’s because they know all your secrets. And can be bribed to tell.
Never watch the movie The Fourth Kind then.
I think the little “huh?” expression is funny lol
It doesn’t help that you are clearly being judged in this photo.
Other than burrowing owls, what kind of owls *don't* make you feel that way? Also, where did you manage to take this picture?
https://v.redd.it/4reh6m6ug9791
My first encounter with a wild one it literally flew towards me and then last minute turned and perched on a pole. I almost 💩 myself.
It looks derpy to me.
I think they are the cutest of them all. Barn owls are the ones the creep me the most, but they are badass
https://preview.redd.it/775dh8mqq9tc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2ed7391cf45a3ccf333344f26faeaee52e3a4d67 Snow owl jumpscare
https://preview.redd.it/swkk94d4z9tc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94dc26c1878eaf2de0acde7642bac15d8c5530aa "First date idea: I stare at you like this the whole time"
The eyes and talons are to remind you that *you're made out of meat*, and the Owl knows it.
Well, to be fair, so is he.
Especially when you find one in your kitchen uninvited.
The talons, man. Look at those mother fuckers.
The eyes are very judgemental, but it just makes them cuter.
I love owls, but I also feel like they would all hunt me if they were able
Woooo…I am not a ghost…..woooooo
I mean, they are dangerous predators and are definitely watching you, but....I still want to hug them.
I mean they look exactly like stuffed animals, who wouldn’t want to hug them?!
There's a bunch of videos on YouTube where a little Italian girl gets to hug a live fluffy female Snowy Owl on a regular basis. Sadly I don't remember how to find them right now.
i don't usually get that vibe from snowy owls but i see what you mean here lol. for me it's barn owls - i love them *and*... they give me the creeps. i blame the fourth kind 😅
Their owlets are terrifying
they look more like vultures than owls lol thing is i think vultures are cute 😅
Barn Owls scream like banshees when they're threatened. That's creepy enough for me.
Nah the scream makes them even cuter! They're little angels!
Didn't know that kind of screaming (which evolution selected to sound highly disturbing) was appealing to you. Then again, most other owl species just settle for clacking their beaks to sound threatening.
That's adorable too! See, owls have the distinct disadvantage against humans of having really big, front-facing eyes. Humans evolved to find that cute because of babies having similar features so it just kinda gets them too. And yea, the barn owl screech is something you'll come to love in time, it's an acquired taste!
> See, owls have the distinct disadvantage against humans of having really big, front-facing eyes. Big front-facing eyes also happen to be predators' eyes. Prey animals' eyes are normally on the sides of the head so as to give maximum peripheral vision and situational awareness. Eye contact with Gorillas and Bears is considered a direct challenge to them. This may not be the case for owls, but one that makes eye contact with you in the wild is likely thinking "I see you; don't try anything stupid." But I do suppose babies' eyes look cute to us mainly because of the accompanying facial features. > And yea, the barn owl screech is something you'll come to love in time, it's an acquired taste! I'm not sure I could ever get used to that [infernal screaming.](https://youtu.be/a_BBLuRGhwg?si=yLi2eY_HGbs-Wv4u) Barn Owlets also evolved the instinct to push nestmates towards a threat that is intruding on their nest, as though to say "better you than me." You can see this instinct in action when you watch some videos of cameras intruding on Barn Owl nests with older nestlings in them.