Owls that "hoot" owls that "bark", and owls that "twitter or scream"

I had a friend recently who tried to make a barn owl call. rather sarcastically, he said "whoo, whoo." I had to tell him that is not at all the sound a barn owl makes. In fact, knowing what a barn owl typically sounds like, I think if I heard one while walking alone at night I would require a change of pants. It is not "owl-like" at all.

Owl calls are also mentioned in the Hobbit, when the dwarves tell Bilbo to "Hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a screech owl." This reminded me that I don't know what a screech owl sounds like, so I'm hoping this post fixes that.

I will rely on YouTube clips for this post, since I sadly do not have any owl recordings!

I will start with the owls common to Colorado, and I may add a few others, with a not that they are not commonly found in Colorado.

OWLS THAT "HOOT"

Starting with the 'typical owl sound' that we all know so well.

• FLAMMULATED OWL

These owls have a deep "hoot" that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology compares to the sound you would get by blowing on the top of an empty glass bottle. They can be found in Colorado in the summer when they are breeding.

Here is the Flammulated owl call. I love how the neck feathers move every time it hoots. 

I also found a video with a flammulated owl release, which helps show just how small these guys are.

• GREAT HORNED OWL

That classic "hoot" call that we all know so well, and for good reason. Not only are Great Horned Owls one of the most common and widespread of North America's owls, but their beautiful calls are both eerie and breathtaking.They have a simple pattern; hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo! They can be found in Colorado year-round.

Here is the call of the Great Horned Owl, in case you're not sure what they sound like!

• NORTHERN PYGMY OWL

These owls have a higher pitch "hoot" and eat song birds, so they often hunt during the day. This owl is a year-round resident of Colorado.

• BURROWING OWL

I can't decide whether their call is really a "hoot" noise or not, but it fits best in this category. This is another Diurnal owl (opposite of nocturnal!) and in Colorado it is most often found in the plains, neighbors to prairie dogs. They live in abandoned prairie dog holes! The Burrowing owl is a summer resident of Colorado.

Here is an awesome fun fact video on Burrowing Owls. They are very cool and interesting birds!

• LONG-EARED OWL

A deep, slow hoot is the call of the Long-Eared Owl. Long-eared owls can make a lot of other noises too, from squeals, clicks, wing slaps and cat-like mews. This owl winters in Colorado and in some places stays year-round.

I suggest going to this link to hear the many other calls they can make.

• NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL

This owl has a flutey high-pitch 'too-too-too' call. They remind me of someone blowing on a tin whistle. They are both winter and year-round residents to Colorado, and though common are rarely seen. When they are seen the freeze, pretending to be a part of the tree that they are in. 

• BARRED OWL

Not a Colorado resident, but one of my favorite owls. I could often hear their "who cooks for you, who cooks for you all" call back in Maine.

• SNOWY OWL

Sometimes wintering in Colorado, these owls have a low raspy hoot in a series of two "who! who!"

Snowy Owls are hardy owls that can live year-round in the tundra. The male is more white, while the female has more black markings to help her blend in and hide from predators. Snowy Owls also whistle and bark.

OWLS THAT "TWITTER" AND "TRILL"

These owls sound more like a song bird then the bird of prey that they are.

• EASTERN SCREECH-OWL

The Eastern Screech owl sounds more like a frog then a bird to me, with a long drawn out trill. Sometimes this bird stays year-round in the North-Eastern part of Colorado.

Even though the owl call is quiet, this is a great video. The author makes a "phishing" sound at the owl, which many birders do to attract birds. This noise for whatever reason often makes birds come closer to investigate you, and sometimes makes them call. I also love the way the bird's whole body moves when it calls. Very Beautiful!

Here is the red morph of the Eastern Screech Owl. The sound is a tiny bit louder. I love watching the owl poke its head out of the snag cavity! In the very beginning before you see the owl appear, that sound that's almost like a whinny is another Eastern Screech Owl.

WESTERN SCREECH OWL

Like the Eastern Screech owl, these also have a series of short hoots. Usually only found in the South-West parts of Colorado. 

BOREAL OWL

Here is another owl that has a beautiful trill call. Year-round residents of Colorado, especially around the Rocky Mountains. 

You can hear the owl call in the beginning of this video, after the man starts talking it's pretty much just him making noises at the owl. I had a hard time finding something better.

OWLS THAT "SCREAM"

An alarming sound to hear, but that frightening sound is just the call of an owl. Be glad you're not a mouse.

• Barn Owl

While most of their calls are raspy and drawn out, they sometimes have a twittering "kleak kleak" call. This owl is a year-round resident in almost all of Colorado.

Here is a video to a barn owl and its "scream" While it might be making this noise because it is being held, they also call to each other like this.

Here is another video with lots of cool info in Barn owls

OWLS THAT BARK

• SHORT-EARED OWL

The Short-Eared Owls call is best described as a 'bark.' The Short-Eared Owl is a bird of the wide open plains, and is one of the most distributed owls world wide. They usually winter in Colorado with a few areas where they may stay year-round.

This Great video shows the difference between long and short eared owls, as they can sometimes be confused. The vocals are near the end.

Now that I have made this blog, I can say I know what a screech owl sounds like! I also realized that you often hear them in night scenes in movies, I just never realized that was an owl sound before!

Since this is already a youtube-filled blog, I may as well add one more!

Here is a video called OWLS: SILENT HUNTERS and has some cool facts about these amazing creatures.

Pleasing Fungus Beetle

Pleasing Fungus Beetle

IDENTIFICATION:

Found in the Mountains of some Western States, the Pleasing Fungus Beetle has a shiny grayish blue or violet colored hard shell with black dimples. The rest of their bodies are a shiny black. Like all insects they have wings and six legs, and as beetles they have a hard sheath-like structure that protects their wings. This is called the elytra.

You can find them near rotten wood or on tree trunks and branches in forests or near streams where there is a lot of moisture. They can be found in the summertime, and most often after summer monsoon rains.

In Colorado, they can be found in Ponderosa Pine at lower elevations and in Aspen trees in higher elevations.

DIET:

They enjoy eating fungus, hence their name. The adults will also eat nectar and pollen. The larvae feed mostly on bracket fungi, which is a good place to locate both larvae and adult pleasing fungus beetles.

LIFE CYCLE:

The beetles overwinter as adults, in warm places protected from the cold, and in the fall females will lay their eggs on fungus; so that when the eggs hatch the young have an immediate food source. The larvae are black and white and wormlike, with spikey fringes on their sides.

These beetles are harmless, so it is okay to pick them up, but remember to be gentle!

SOURCES:

Firefly Forest.net

http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2008/12/24/pleasing-fungus-beetle/

Insect Identification.org

http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Pleasing-Fungus-Beetle

University of Colorado Boulder

http://artsandsciences.colorado.edu/magazine/2011/08/the-curious-color-of-the-blue-fungus-beetle/

Great Horned Owls

Great Horned Owls

Bubo virginianus

The chilling hoot of an owl in the presence of the full moon creates an ominous atmosphere even on television. In reality, hearing the call of a great horned owl can be just as awe-inspiring and tremendously exciting.

These great birds are one of the most common owls in North America, and can be found from the artic tundra of Northern Canada to the Tropical Rainforests of South America.

They are diverse not only in where they live, but also what they eat. A Great Horned Owl can not only take down prey that is larger than itself, but also eats smaller prey like scorpions, mice, fish, and frogs. It’s one of the few animals that will take on skunks and porcupines as food. They have also been known to take cats and small dogs as food, so keep your pets in at night!

IDENTIFICATION:

How do you know what you’ve seen is a great horned owl? These large owls will have two tufts on their head. These tufts are not ears, but it is believed that their purpose is to break up their figure and help them blend into the trees more.

The wings are broad and rounded, and in flight the rounded head and short bill give the bird a blunt-headed silhouette.

Their color is a mottled grayish-brown, with reddish-brown faces and a white patch on the throat. They have large yellow eyes.

You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of an open space where they can easily look for prey.

Owls that look similar to the great horned owl are the Long Eared Owl, which also has tufts, but it is a smaller, less bulky bird with no white patch on the throat. Its tufts are also longer, and with a darker mottled breast.

GREAT HORNED OWL HOOT

Great Horned Owls have a classic sounding “Whoo Whoo Whoo” sound, and this can be heard from miles away. When calling for its mate, the owl will make a “who hoo who hoo” sound, while if it is aggravated it will make a “clack” noise with its beak.

GREAT HORNED OWL FUN FACTS:

• A Great Horned Owl can eat a large number of different prey items, from mice to other birds of prey like Ospreys, Peregrine Falcons, and other owls.
• A Great Horned Owl’s talons require a force of 28 pounds to open. They use this impressive strength to kill their prey with, as it’s strong enough to sever the spine.
• The female is larger than the male, and the male has a deeper voice. When you hear a pair calling back and forth if you listen closely you can tell which one is the male and which is the female.
• Like most owls, they are nocturnal and their large eyes do not move in their sockets. The owl can swivel their head 180 degrees to look in any direction.
• Owls have offset ears, with one ear directed down and the other up. This helps them identify which direction a sound is coming from very accurately. They also have facial disk feathers that direct sound to their ears.
• Great Horned Owls usually hunt at night, but can occasionally be seen hunting in the daytime for a snack.
• If owls were as big as humans, its eyes would be as large as an orange.
• Great Horned Owls are also called “Tigers of the Sky” due to their ferocity and ability to capture prey bigger than itself.
• The tufts on a Great Horned Owl’s head are called “plumicorns”
• The average lifespan of a Great Horned Owl in the wild is five to 15 years, while the oldest known Great Horned Owl lived to be 28 years old.
• Great Horned Owls have no natural predators as adults, but face the greatest danger in their first year of life where many things may try to prey on them.

OWL PELLETS

If you see a Great Horned Owl sitting on a tree branch, sometimes you can find an owl pellet nearby. These pellets are the fur and bone remains of an owls dinner, and if you have the stomach to dissect one you can figure out what the owl has been eating!

Since owls often eat small animals like mice, being able to swallow your food owl and spit the bones out later is a great time saver.

MATING

Great Horned Owls are monogamous (one male, one female) and both male and female help to incubate the eggs. The female lays one to five eggs, and the male hunts for food.

Great Horned Owls mate for life.

They start nesting in January, raising their families in the thick of winter. The eggs hatch within a month. Six weeks after hatching the owlets will leave the nest and walk around, and in another three weeks after that they will have learned how to fly. The parents will still feed and take care of their young until as late as October, when the young owls leave to find their own territory.

Great Horned Owls will fiercely protect their nests, even from humans who wander too close to their nests. They are not afraid to attack.

Great Horned Owls don’t usually make their own nests, but take over existing nests that are not in use. They usually take over hawk nests, and may add additional bark, leaves and feathers. They may even line the nest with fur from their prey. Nests are seldom reused.

Sometimes they will also nests in tree cavities, cliff ledges or human made platforms.

SOURCES:

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/great_horned_owl/id

International Owl Center

http://www.internationalowlcenter.org/ourowls/rustyandiris/vocalizations/98-background-info/144-great-horned-owl-facts

National Geographic

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/great-horned-owl/

The Nature Conservatory

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/the-great-horned-owl.xml

Ponderosa Pine

Since my first two blogs were on subjects that I found important and misunderstood, I decided to switch keys and talk about a really cool Western tree, the Ponderosa pine!

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) is one of the most widely distributed pines in North America. There are two varieties of the species that are currently recognized, the Pacific ponderosa pine and Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine. Guess which one Colorado has.

The young pines have dark bark, whereas the older mature pines have a reddish bark

WHERE CAN IT BE FOUND:

From 5600ft to 9500ft in elevation, sometimes lower. They tend to be found in nutrient poor soils, sometimes they are also found with Douglas-fir, Rocky Mountain Juniper or spruce. They can be found from British Columbia to Mexico.

FUN FACTS:

• They can reach a height of over 100 feet
• The tallest is in Oregon, and reached a height of 268 feet making it the world's tallest pine! 
• The bark of older trees changes color, from a grayish black to a red color
• The bark can often smell like vanilla or butterscotch
• Ponderosa pine has a very high commercial value and is used to make a lot of different things, from doors to window frames.
• Ponderosa pine is monoecious; it has both male and female parts

IDENTIFICATION:

The unique bark is a great indicator, and as the trees get older the scales become more like large scaly plates. The bark is 3 inches thick and this protects it from forest fires.

The mature reddish scaly bark of ponderosa pine

Needles will be in clumps of three, and the female cones are large, woody and with small hooks on each scale

PONDEROSA PINE AND THE ABERT’S SQUIRREL

The tufted eared Abert’s squirrel is dependent on the ponderosa pine for food and shelter, and can almost only be found on Ponderosa pine forests.

SOURCES:

Colorado State University

http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/major-tree-species.html

Rocky Mountain National Park

http://www.nps.gov/romo/naturescience/conifers.htm

USDA Forest Service

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_1/pinus/ponderosa.htm

Coyotes, the wild dogs of North America

Coyotes are a controversial subject, some people love them, many people hate them, and a few people have no opinion on the animal what so ever. I personally think that coyotes are beautiful and intelligent creatures, but they can pose a potential hazard.

If you have pets and you live in a place where there are coyotes, it’s best to keep them inside or keep them on a leash. I’ve seen a dog get chased and bit by two coyotes while the dog owner was completely unaware that their dog had wandered off and was being chased. My husband and I alerted the owner who finally realized what was happening and called the dog to her, and the dog was thankfully unharmed.

Coyotes can absolutely be a threat, they can bite joggers and eat your pet cat, and can even carry rabies. However, if you play it smart while living in coyote territory you may find you can appreciate coyotes for what they are, and not for the hazard that they are so commonly perceived to be.

The highly adaptable coyote! This photo was taken in February, during the mating season. Coyotes are mostly nocturnal, but can also be seen during the day. This is especially true during the breeding season, from February to March. People living in these houses should probably not let their cats outdoors.

COYOTE FUN FACTS:

•  Coyotes are members of the Canidae family, just like wolves, jackals and dogs
•  Coyotes that live in the desert have lighter colored coats then coyotes who live in the mountains
• Coyotes are 32 to 37 inches from head to rump (not including tail) their tails are typically 16 inches long.
• Coyotes are highly adaptable, and can be found almost anywhere, to urban outskirts, plains, mountains, deserts and forests.
• They can be found from Canada to Central America and nearly everywhere in between.
• Coyotes often hunt by themselves rather than in packs. The saying ought to be “Lone Coyote” not “Lone wolf”
• It is becoming more common to see Coyotes closer and closer to humans, even in big cities like New York City or Los Angeles.
• Coyotes are omnivores, and they are NOT picky eaters. They eat everything from meat, such as small rodents, rabbit, fish, or even large game like deer, to insects, fruit and even grass. In urban areas or cities, they will eat pet food or garbage. Not picky eaters.
•  In the winter, coyotes will form packs to become more efficient hunters.
• Coyotes are considered pests because they eat livestock and pets.
• Coyotes breed in the late winter/early spring, usually February to March. Females will build dens in preparation for their young, and have a gestation period of 63 days. They give birth in groups of three pups and can have up to 15 at a time. The average liter size however is 6 pups.
• Both parents take turns taking care of the pups. The male will also bring the female food and guard the den.
• Sometimes siblings from a previous liter will help care for the new pups. The male siblings help provide food for the mother and the young.
• The pups eyes remain closed for about 12 days, and begin to eat solid food at three weeks.
• The adolescent coyote will leave home alone or in small groups at six to nine months of age, from October to February. In some cases coyotes do not leave home their first year, instead staying with their parents to help raise the next liter.
• There are 19 subspecies of Coyote, three of which are in Colorado. This includes the plains coyote, which is found East of the Rockies, the mountain coyote which is found everywhere but the South Eastern corner, and the Mearns coyote which is found in the South western part of Colorado.
•  Golf balls and flying cork tops hurt more people each year then coyotes.
• Most coyotes attacks occur by coyotes that have been fed by people, and very rarely are people bit by rabid coyotes.
• There are only two recorded instances of coyotes killing people in North America. One was a child in South California in the 1980’s, and the other was a 19-year old woman in Nova Scotia in 2009.
• n areas where coyotes are hunted, they are less likely to be active during the day
• Coyotes are vocal during dawn and dusk, and will sometimes respond to sirens during the day or night.
• If you see what looks like dog poop in the middle of a trail, it’s likely not from a dog with an inattentive owner, but from a coyote who is leaving its scat in a visible place for other coyotes to find. Using urination and scat are some weird ways that coyotes communicate with each other.
• A coyote can run as fast as 40 miles an hour, and hear a hunter approaching from a mile away.
• The main enemies of coyotes are bears, wolves and without a doubt, humans. 
•  Coyotes often mate for life.

STAY COYOTE SAFE

Arm yourself with knowledge! Coyotes are typically nocturnal, but have been known to be active during the day as well. They tend to be more active during the day during breeding season, which is from February to March. That means that this time of year it’s best to keep a close eye on your dogs when you walk them. It should be common sense, but if your dog doesn’t immediately come when called, they probably shouldn’t be off leash. An undisciplined dog off leash can lead to it harassing wildlife, which in certain cases your dog will be shot on sight for, no questions asked. So, if you care about your dog, especially during coyote breeding season, keep it on a leash. Coyotes are often just protecting their territory, and a wandering dog will be perceived as a threat.

Keep garbage in a tightly sealed container, where coyotes cannot be tempted. You should also remove pet food and fallen fruit from fruit trees.

Because coyotes can sometimes lose their fear of humans, they have been known in certain cases to bite joggers. This one is harder to avoid, but there are a few things you can do.

• If you normally see coyotes on your run or walk, avoid those areas during breeding season when coyotes are more active.
• Never approach coyotes. It doesn’t matter how cute it’s being, or if it looks like it might be someone’s pet and just wants to be petted. This is a wild animal, not a poodle. Do not pet the coyotes.
• In some areas preemptive measures have been made, called “coyote hazing”. This isn’t like what fraternities do to new members, but more of an attempt to teach coyotes that humans are in fact a threat and that they should avoid us. This is done by shouting at coyotes when you see them, or throwing things at them that won’t actually hurt the animal, just get the point across. Throwing a tennis ball is a good example, especially because coyotes are not trained to retrieve, it won’t think that you’re playing a game with it. If you’re in a pinch, throwing small rocks will be an effective reminder that humans are not harmless.
•  If you see any strange behavior, including seeming disoriented or sick, and ESPECIALLY if they coyote is fearless of humans, report your sighting to animal control. A coyote seen in daytime does not automatically mean the coyote has rabies, as coyotes are not strictly nocturnal. You can also call 911 Wildlife if you see strange behaviors. 
• NEVER EVER EVER EVER feed coyotes. It’s not cute, and it’s definitely not harmless. A coyote that associates people with food is a dangerous coyote, and if that doesn’t literally come back to bite you in the @$$ it will hurt someone else. Feeding a hungry looking coyote isn’t helping it you are only hurting it.
• Do not turn your back on a coyote, or run away from a coyote. Both of these actions suggest to the coyote that you are prey, and it may react accordingly.
• If you are with small children, keep yourself between them and the coyote.
• Keep in mind that coyotes are curious, and if one is following you it’s not simply being aggressive. Sometimes a coyote follows people simply out of curiosity or to keep you away from its den.

It's hard to see the coyote in this picture, but this was my first ever coyote sighting!  We had lots of coyotes in Maine, but because of the thick New England forests I had never seen one until I moved to Colorado. This one is at Rabbit Mountain Open Space, and this is also the place where I saw a dog chased and bit by a coyote. Dog owners need to keep their pets on a leash in coyote territory, as the coyotes were only protecting their den from a perceived threat.

RABIES:

Coyotes can carry rabies, although bites to humans from a rabid coyote is rare. However, it is very important to get your pets vaccinated against rabies, as rabies can be more problematic in areas where pets are not vaccinated.

ARE COYOTES ENDANGERED?

Coyotes are not at all endangered. It is thought that their numbers have never been higher! Part of this may be because we nearly drove their main competitor for food to near extinction, the wolf. Ranchers and farmers have used population control methods from trapping to poisoning, but it seems to have no effect on the growing coyote population.

NATIVE AMERICANS AND THE WILEY COYOTE

Native Americans respected the coyote for its intelligence, stealth and voracious appetite. The view of the coyote varied from tribe to tribe, in some cases they were viewed as wise and as a hero who helps and teaches humans, in other tribes they were seen more as a trickster. In other tribes the coyote was also seen as the representation of greed and arrogance. Sometimes the coyote is all three of these things at once.

Coyotes are great adapters, and they are beautiful and cunning creatures. Like it or not they are our wild neighbors and their numbers are growing. So play it safe, keep your pets indoors unless under supervision and report any strange behavior. Coyotes are beautiful but they are wild. They are not pets and it is never ok to feed or approach them.

Enjoy them from a distance, and appreciate how amazing they are!

SOURCES:

Animals Zone

http://www.animals-zone.com/10-facts-you-did-not-know-about-coyotes

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/LivingwithWildlifeCoyote.aspx

Douglas County Sherriff

http://www.dcsheriff.net/coyote-safety-tips/

http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/animals/mammal/cala/all.html

The Human Society

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/coyotes/tips/coyotes_people.html

Live Science

http://www.livescience.com/27976-coyotes.html

Native American Coyote Mythology

http://www.native-languages.org/legends-coyote.htm

Smithsonian National Zoo

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/CCEG/news/coyotehybrid.cfm

911 Wildlife

http://www.911wildlife.com/animals/coyote/