Great Horned Owl nest?

[James Tyler Bell]

A friend, who works in raptor rehab, is trying to relocate a young GHOW that fell out of a nest. After it was rehabbed, they tried to put it back but the nest was abandoned. Does anyone know of a nest within an hour of Annapolis? Please respond off list. 

Thanks in advance!

Tyler Bell 

jtyle...@yahoo.com 

California,  Maryland 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[Noah Comet]

Having spent some time working in raptor rehab (and with GHOs specifically), I'm a bit dubious about this approach, which sounds to me like it would involve disturbing (perhaps catastrophically) another GHO nest in order to attempt to save this unfortunate nestling---an attempt that may not even work.  Sharing nest locations is always an ethically dicey proposition, but soliciting this info (even off-list) when the aim is actually to approach and interact with the nest seems especially problematic, even when the goal is clearly kind-hearted, as here.  (I respect and appreciate what you and your friend are trying to do---just worried about the method.)

I'd urge people not to share this info.  If this is a certified and experienced rehabber, certainly s/he/they can reach out to someone at MDNR or one of the area parks (Quiet Waters, perhaps?) where GHOs are known to nest.  They should be able to provide necessary support and ensure that whatever is done is done in accordance with the law and best practices.  I've BCC'd a few such people in this message; perhaps one of them can reach out to you.

N

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[Steve Long]

I agree that it is not a good idea to share nest data on the Internet.

And I especially agree that it is not a good idea to put rescued nestlings into nests other than the ones they have fallen from.

We went through this several years ago on this list.  In that case, it was a "professional rehabber" looking for a Screech Owl nest.  I got a lot of criticism here for pointing out that Screech Owl eggs are laid and hatch in sequence, so that the owlets are different sizes, and the smaller ones only survive if the adults can provide enough food for all of them.  That is the evolutionary characteristic for keeping this species population within the carrying capacity of its local environment.  So, putting another owlet in a Screech Owl nest is unlikely to result in an additional Screech Owl reaching self-sustaining maturity - and might actually result in one less doing so, it the result is 2 owlets about the same size that would end up splitting the food available to one, dooming both.  After getting "flack" here that I did not know what "professional rehabbers" know, I checked with Cornell, and got a response agreeing with my position.

I do not know if this also applies to Great Horned Owls.  But, the technique that a professional rehabber used to raise the Screech Owlets that I rescued should work for any owl here.  That was to use the "hacking out" procedure, which consists of placing a large bird-house type box, with one side a removable, screen in a tree located in suitable habitat for the owls.  Provide food (e.g., freshly killed rodents) to the owls on a frequency similar to parents' feeding schedule (i.e., several times a day).  When the owlets have fledged out, remove the screen side of the box and let them fly as they wish.  Keep providing food in the box until the maturing owls no longer come back for it, having (hopefully) developed the ability to catch live food for themselves.

Obviously, this is a labor-intensive, time-consuming procedure that runs for a substantial period.  It is not difficult to understand why rehabbers don't want to bother doing it right.  But, doing it wrong may actually be worse than not doing anything.

BTW, in the case of the 4 owlets that I found in a blowdown after a severe storm, ALL were successfully hacked out by a true professional, using the method I described.  I had started trying to feed the owlets myself, using a supply of lab mice.  But, it was impossible to do a full time job and also feed those owlets on an appropriate schedule.  I can see why all 4 owlets might well not have survived if they only had what food 2 adult owls could catch per day.

Steve Long

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[Carolyn Copper]

Noah and Steve, thank you for these thoughtful and spot-on comments. If a federally and state licensed raptor rehabilitator needed this information it may be appropriate to share, but otherwise such a request should be met with healthy skepticism.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/e67ef1bf-bad5-79a9-4d4e-6ebc39836ac1%40atlanticbb.net.

[Jack Saba]

Wednesday morning, at Governor Bridge NA (PG County), I watched a pair
of Hermit Thrush chasing one another (or maybe one was always doing the
chasing). The interaction had already started when I noticed them, and
was continuing when I moved on: through the foliage on one side of the
road, then crossing over and repeating on the other side, then running
across the road, and repeating, and repeating.

For 15 minutes, I stood within 15 feet of these birds, and while they
were aware of me, they seemed to ignore me the entire time. When I left,
they had just moved into the treetops.

At one point, the trailing bird ran across the road in a "horizontal
stretch" (one of the known agonistic postures). I did not notice any
other aggressive posturing, but the interaction was taking place in bird
time, not human time, so I probably missed a lot.

It looked like a territorial dispute, and HETH are known to be
territorial on winter territory, but I've not seen or heard of such
interactions lasting more than a minute or two.

The other highlight of the morning was a rainbow of tiny colored lights
on the grass and shrubs, caused by sunlight refracting through frozen
dew drops. Seemed perfect for the season.


Jack Saba
Berwyn Heights