Possumhaw: All about owls – The Dispatch

The owl…is one of the most curious creatures. A chicken that stays awake whilst the relaxation of the world sleeps. What does he see when the rest of the planet is dreaming? — M.J. Rose, American creator (1998-)

A intelligent aged owl sat in an oak. The additional he noticed, the considerably less he spoke. The much less he spoke, the more he read. Why can not we be like that clever aged hen? — Nursery rhyme

Dark was the evening and darker were the trees. Only the moon and the stars permit me see, when quickly anything flew from the trees and landed in the center of the blacktop highway. I stopped and turned the headlights towards the chook. It was an owl. He stared, and I stared back again. Neither of us moved. I had usually needed to see an owl in the wild up shut and particular. It was a attractive fowl. I’ve witnessed owls rapidly fly from just one tree lined facet of the highway to the other in the night shadows. I had read owls but by no means had a single quit in the road and stare at me. It was mesmerizing. I didn’t move until finally he continued his flight by the woods.

There were being three of us in the vehicle. The backseat passenger mentioned, “It’s in all probability a hoot owl.” At any time the skeptic I considered we never know what it is. Later I Googled “Owls of Mississippi.”  I browse about owls in both equally of my hen textbooks: Nationwide Audubon Culture and The Sibley Guidebook to Birds.

It’s pretty attainable the chicken was a hoot owl scientifically recognised as a Barred Owl. The Barred Owl is nocturnal not all owls are. Some owls burrow in the ground. The Barred Owl is largely brown in color. They are curious birds and recognised for observing individuals. It is attainable the owl flew to another tree and viewed us drive away.

Searching at the photographs of Barred Owls I however wasn’t sure. Our owl looked pale in the facial area as opposed to brown. I puzzled if the headlights built his face glimpse white. Now that I imagine of it, potentially he was blinded by the mild. Ultimately, I located a description on allaboutbirds.org describing the Barred Owl as “a big gray-brown and white chook with a spherical head and no ear tufts.” I think this is our fowl. His head was completely round and his experience pale. There were no ears standing up. He really seemed sweet, not threatening at all.

As it turns out Mississippi has five resident owls: Fantastic Horned Owls, Small-eared Owl, American Barn Owl, Barred Owl, and the Eastern Screech Owl.

The Excellent Horned Owl is gray-brown with a white throat. It’s a significant owl with tufts of feathers on its head that seem like ears. He’s a very little scary on the lookout.

The Quick-eared Owl is a wintertime resident. It is tawny brown in color and prefers a nest in the ground. He moves in the late afternoon, from time to time with other birds. The Limited-eared Owl can hover and has an erratic flight sample.

The American Barn Owl’s face is coronary heart-shaped and sandy coloured. He’s a 12 months-round resident and typically nocturnal. His sound is a screech extra like a hawk.

The Eastern Screech Owl is short and stocky. He can be gray or red and loves to perch wherever. He does not head individuals but does not like other owls. Now you know all about owls.     

Shannon Bardwell is a writer residing quietly in the Prairie. E mail reaches her at [email protected].