LIVE OWL CAM
Follow the Journey of a Barn Owl Family
Sponsored by Hayward Area Recreation and Park District,
Castro Valley Rotary Club, Ojo Technology and Building Knowledge
All Six Owlets have Hatched! Last egg hatched April 6, 2012. Watch “dad” come in at night to drop off food and comfort “mom.” Click here to see video clips of the owlets growing.
Click here to see the fourth egg hatching!
Many of you are aware that Sulphur Creek Nature Center provides a home for a wide variety of non-releasable wildlife, but sometimes we forget that the park also provides valuable habitat for the resident animals’ wild relatives. For the past few years, an owl box in the park has been home to a pair of Barn Owls (Tyto alba), and each year we wait and watch as we try to catch a glimpse of their young owlets. Now, thanks to a generous support of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, Castro Valley Rotary Club, Ojo Technology and Building Knowledge, we will have a much better view of the budding owl family, and we want to share it with all of you. A small, unobtrusive camera has been placed inside the owl box to give us streaming videos of Barn Owl family life. We look forward to sharing all the family’s milestones, from egg laying and incubation to hatching and finally fledging. Check back often for updates on the Barn Owls’ progress, and stop by Sulphur Creek Nature Center to see if you can sneak a peek at our stars. For more information on these amazing animals, visit the links below or call Sulphur Creek Nature Center (510) 881-6747.
This pair of Barn Owls began courting in January 2012. The female began laying her eggs on February 25th. A new egg was then laid every other day until her clutch was complete. She now has six eggs that she is incubating, turning, and protecting. Her mate continues to visit her during the night and brings her presents of food: rats, mice, voles, moles and gophers. Incubation times range between 26 and 33 days. The expected date for the first owlet to hatch is around March 23rd. Keep checking back to see how fast these babies can grow! You can view this cam 24 hours a day.
Common Name: Barn Owl Scientific Name: Class: Aves Order: Strigiformes Family Tytonidae Genus & Species: Tyto alba
Physical Description: The Barn Owl is a long legged, knock‐kneed, pale,
“monkey faced” owl. It looks quite different from other owls. The barn owl
has a white, heart‐shaped face, and its dark eyes serve as a great contrast
with the rest of its body colors. The chest is whitish‐cinnamon, with speckles
all over. The back and wings are somewhat darker, appearing rusty and mixed
with gray. Barn Owls are medium‐sized owls, reaching about 21" in height
with a wingspan of 47".
Range/Habitat: Barn Owls derive their names from their historic use
of man‐made wooden structures, such as barns. The modern use of aluminum sheds,
however, has reduced the number of roosting and nesting sites for barn owls.
This owl is somewhat common in the Hayward area. Their range, however, is most
of the world. The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of bird.
They prefer habitats of woodlands, groves, farms, barns, towns, and cliffs.
Diet: The Barn Owl is excellent at what it does best‐‐hunting. They
have the ability to catch prey in total darkness‐‐bad news for the rats and
mice that make up most of their diet. Barn Owls also have outstanding hearing,
and the slightest squeak from a mouse will attract their attention. The Barn
Owl’s main food choice is rodents, but they also eat reptiles, other birds,
amphibians, and insects. They will swallow all parts of the animal. Their body
churns the bones and fur into a pellet, which they then cough up.
Habits/Adaptations: Barn Owls are chiefly nocturnal. They will occasionally
hunt during the day, especially while raising young. Most often the hunting
technique is speculative flights over open country following established routes.
Barn Owls can also recognize the different sounds made by different prey items.
Reproduction: The female can lay from 5‐11 eggs that may be chalky white
or tinged with yellow. The eggs are laid on different days so they won’t all
hatch at once. This sequential laying insures that those born first will survive
if food becomes scarce. The incubation period is from 29‐34 days; the female
does most of the sitting, with the male helping only occasionally. These owls
are usually found in pairs throughout the year.
Miscellaneous:
A family of seven young owls requires over 100 rats and other small rodents
daily as food. You can imagine how busy this keeps the parents! This is why
owls are so useful to have around.
The soft edges of the owls’ feathers are uneven on the edges, acting like
a comb to cut the air,
so as it passes; the wing is silent, allowing the owl to sneak up on its
prey without warning.
