What the...!? A near miss for the great horned owl
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- Great horned owls look pretty tough. They're the biggest birds around here and their self-confidence is generally justified. But not always.
Mrs Great Horned Owl was hanging out on the top of a live oak tree early one morning, just minding her own business, when she was buzzed by someone or something. Was it a bird, was it a plane...? You be the judge. It wasn't really a near miss, it was a near hit.
For more great critter videos and photos please visit texasbackyardw....
#greathornedowl #backyardwildlife #texaswildlife
Absolutely gorgeous girl! Last weekend I saw a horned owl that was about half the size of my 45 lb American Staffordshire terrier, it had great big ears, bright yellow eyes, I was in awe I couldn't believe how big the bird was, I did not have my camera on me, when it took flight it had at least a 4 ft wingspan 🤗
Yes, Fubar, they're huge. They don't weigh very much, but they're big birds and you're right about the wingspan. Beautiful coloring.
I'm so envious! I wish I could see owls around where I live, especially in the daytime! 😍
Jealous about wanting to see owls?? I’m jealous about wanting to be able to fly.
She's beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
Our pleasure, Dale.
Now that’s a beautiful bird
These videos are awesome! Owls are one of my all time favorite critters. I love birds of prey in general, owls in particular. But all wildlife intrigues me. Thanks so much for posting these!
Thank you for your comment!
Wow.. This one is amazing footage of Great-horned owl.. Love it my friend.
Thank you!
Wow that's pretty crazy. She's beautiful looking in the daylight. I'm guessing that was a large red tail hawk?
Your guess is as good as ours and a red-tailed hawk sounds plausible. Whatever it was, it was big, and apparently pretty alarming.
I thought I saw a flash of red. My guess is red tail hawk
@@TexasBackyardWildlife Do hawks often try to attack owls? There was an incident awhile ago where I live with a Great Horned Owl killing a female red-shouldered hawk in her nest which caused the chicks to be abandoned by the male. This makes me wonder about an on-going animosity between hawks and owls.
I just played the fly-by frame by frame, and I think that whatever bird it was, knew enough to stay a couple feet away, because the owl actually turned on it's back and had its feet ready to intercept. Whatever bird it was (there was a flash of color similar to the tail of a red-tailed hawk, but who can be sure) had the advantage of speed and ability to deliver impact, but the risk of hitting the owls feet with that SAME impact made striking a bit of a risky play, in my opinion. Pretty amazing moment.
The owls feet never left the standing position during the entire encounter. You can see it's white feathers around the talons, it never adjusts it's talons to be facing upwards. The Owl just crouched then stood up and flew off.
We think that's right, the owl stayed standing. It would have been hard for it to flip on its back way up that tree top.
Yes. That's true. Whatever it was wanted to harass the owl without risking actual contact. We caught this video because we were watching the owl live with a roof-top camera, and so we were really zoomed in, and we regretted that we weren't just a bit more zoomed out. All we got to see was the owl's reaction.
I'm just learning about birds but do hawks typically attack owls and if so why do they? Is it out of protection maybe from their eggs being nearby or something?
@@TexasBackyardWildlife I just watched it frame by frame again. For some reason, the first time I was thinking there was a nest there. Anyway, this time it's clear that the owl lets go of its perch first with the left foot, and then with the right foot as it ducks and tilts. I did not see feet in the air this time (and apparently not the first time either, but other clips I've seen must have made it easy to imagine, lol (see below)). However, it did let go of its perch as if to be ready to meet the attack with its feet. It would not have been hard at all for the owl to get on its back if the branchy base was thick enough. I've seen other RUclips clips of them doing that in about as much time as it takes to blink your eyes. I think it was ready for that here, but the actual need did not arise. Since you can see that it really did totally let go of its perch, that's pretty amazing in itself. (for frame-by-frame viewing, pause the action, and than hit the "." key to view each successive frame).
I witnessed a mockingbird harrassing a great horned owl by flying above the owl and yapping like mockingbirds do. The owl puffed out its chest and turned its head around and that was enough for the mockingbird who kinda flew off like, "okay. I think I made my point, but i'll go over there. Looks better over there anyway". It gave me a chuckle to see.
We see that all the time! Isn't it astonishing? The owls just put up with it, even though they could kill whoever it is who is messing with them. We've decided that it's too difficult for them to strike when they're perched - they just have to sit through it. Take a look at this video: texasbackyardwildlife.com/taunting-the-great-horned-owl/
@@TexasBackyardWildlife I actually discovered my owls while out riding my bike. I came around a corner and could hear ravens sqwaking away at something. Then I got to where I could see several of them all around an owl and that owl was not impressed. Owls are interesting, theyre not easily flustered. I stand about 10 feet under their tree ( 3 that I know of), and they just stare at me till I go away.
You would have gotten a chuckle if you had seen me running through the parking lot at work being chased and attacked by a Mockingbird.😅😅
Yesterday in Central Park a barred owl was waken up from sleep by a gang of aggressive blue jays who I guess wanted her to leave where they were nesting but it was the craziest shit I've ever seen...didn't know about bird theater until now....it started out with like 3 blue jays then ballooned to like 15 in minutes and they would not stop screaming
@@SamtheMan0508 They don't like cats. You were probably near its nest.
Owls always have a surprised look on their face.
Yes, and for the great horned owls, perhaps the "ear" feathers accentuate that look.
She's beautiful!
Great content! Nice narration! Many thanks!
Outstanding video with a steady hand
It was filmed using a camera we have attached to the roof (yes, we are now that crazy). The camera has a pretty good zoom and an excellent view.
The Owl videos are very cool. Especially with your narration.
Thank you!
I love this channel! I’ve learned so much from watching your videos, thank you and keep up the good work!
Thank you!
I love owl's such magnificent creatures 😊
00.08 - It's funny how the commentator says "I looked around" at the exact moment the Great Horned Owl looked around. Beautiful video clip.
We'll have to watch it again and give ourselves a little pat on the back.
Oh my God. Those are the biggest pupils I've ever seen on a great horned owl.
All the better to see us with... The pupils do seem big for daytime, though, you're right.
Gr8 Work. Thx a Ton for the Post.
Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed it, James.
Excellent camera work! I used to be a falconer here in Colorado and one thing about birds of prey is that they're fearless. The Red Tailed hawk I trapped tamed right up and upon his first release came right back to me when called..I'm subbing..great job..
Wow! He came back on his first release? You must be a magician. Have you read "H is for Hawk" by Helen Macdonald, and "The Goshawk" by TH White? The accounts of their struggles with their goshawks make up most of the narrative. THW was not entirely kind to his hawks.
That was a great sighting 👍
Such magnificent birds!!! I was thrilled to death a couple nights hearing one in my backyard trees. But only twice in 18 years. Southeastern Michigan.
They are huge and very impressive. We love to see them. One was hooting last night - it's a very calming sound.
I slowed it all the way down and grabbed it frame by frame. It was either another owl or a red tailed hawk.
Maybe a hawk, then? The only other owl around was this one's mate.
Owls are awesome!!
Good mousers
@@rogerramjet8964 "Left click... Right click... 😆👍
Loving every video you post
Thank you!
It looked like a Pterodactyl to me - but I’ve been awake for several days, so take it with a grain of salt.
And speaking of pterodactyls: texasbackyardwildlife.com/great-horned-owl-in-stealth-bomber-mode-get-out-of-my-territory/.
What a beauty. ❤️😍
Probably a Red Tail hawk, they will put a hurting on Great Horned owls...I know, nothing can harm a Great Horned owl but trust me, Red Tail Hawks, especially a large female will hurt and kill a Great Horned owl.
Wow. We did not know that. We've had lots of suggestions, but red-tailed hawk is very likely - for the simple reason that we have lots of them in the neighborhood. And if they normally harass the owls when they get a chance, then that makes a red-tailed hawk the likely culprit.
Most likely a Red-tailed Hawk. The two species are like lions and hyenas.
OK, quite likely. We do have a lot of red-tailed hawks. Someone else suggest a merlin. I wish we'd seen what it was! (Though maybe the mystery is fun, too.)
owls just cats with wings :D
I forgot to ask you. Are you able to pull images off that video? If so, I see a ton of awesome possibilities. The quality is awesome and incredible clarity.
Yes! We do it all the time - we have lots of video still shots printed up and hanging on the walls. They enlarge really very well.
@@TexasBackyardWildlife Thanks. My father in law passed away last September. We were forced to put my mother in law in a care facility due to her age and health. Huge birders in their day. I’ve been sending her videos of birding and she’s been crying and laughing remembering years of birding and 67 years of marriage. She loved your video and keeps asking me questions because she thinks it’s mine. Thank you for bringing some joy into her life.
Could you give her an iPad or other tablet with our live stream on it? There's a nesting titmouse on the live stream and she might like to watch it? texasbackyardwildlife.com/live-stream/, If you want to have some printable stills from any of the videos for her room, just let us know and we'll email you the files. I think there's a bit of degradation by the time we publish on YT, but the original files are really good and print up almost perfectly. We would love to help out.
@@TexasBackyardWildlife thank you so much. Lol her room is full of momentos so much so that we filled our spare room and had to rent a small storage space. Her life list is amazing. Yes I will try to get your live stream. We got her an IPad but she has the onset of dementia. Some days uses it like a champ other days we have to rely on the nurses. God bless you all. I appreciate your kindness. The live feed would be awesome so I’ll let you know how and when she gets it. Thank you!
Bello Bello 😍🦉
There is a massive great horned owl that lives in my neighborhood. It's about 2ft tall. Seems a little weird because I live in Mesa which is part of metro Phoenix. There isn't much wild land around here. I figure he must make his living off of rodents, rabbits and the odd small cat or dog. My neighbors have a rabbit that wandered around the neighborhood free, eating peoples front yard grass, but I haven't seen him for some time now. I've been wondering if maybe the owl got him.
if hawks hunt in pairs they could nab the owl by vocally alerting the other on the first pass over
How come their eyes are so dilated when it is big bright sunny out?
Interesting question. We don't know.
It's them stealth fighters again....
A stealth fighter going after another stealth fighter? Or perhaps a flying fox taking revenge?
Evacuate from what?? I thought that the Horney Owl was an apex predator of the sky!!
Horny owl.
Well, maybe evacuate isn't quite the right word, but she was clearly alarmed and she did fly off. Great horned owls are our biggest avian predators, as you say, but no one wants to risk injury and whatever it was that buzzed her seemed dangerous.
That was pretty cool!
I have never even seen a great horned owl in the wild and here you are uploading videos nearly every day! But, this was a near HIT not a near miss! It did miss the owl, not by much, so it was a near hit = it almost hit the owl. Just sayin'. Hope you can catch them while hunting. Cheers
Yes! You're absolutely right. It was a near hit. "Near miss" is a cliche, isn't it, and we all think we know what it means, but probably about half the time it should be "near hit".
@@TexasBackyardWildlife
Great explanation! Best of luck and thanks for the videos!
Maybe a hawk or a falcon. Whatever it was it was fast.
Blindingly fast, and pretty alarming (apparently).
I played on 1/4,speed and it was still a blur. Seemed faster than a bullet
Spoiled her sun tan
Freeze framed at 43 seconds looks like some kind of drone
The lights behind the owl? It's lighted radio towers on the horizon.
That must be a high quality camera. I thought that owl was right outside your window, but you were just zoomed in.
It's a really really good Dahua security camera.
Thank you for these reports from the field--I really enjoy your broadcasting!
If you had to guess, though, who (hoot?) do you think it was that buzzed her?
First: Thank you, Tom! And re. who buzzed the owl, we really don't know. Someone just suggested a merlin and said that they never pass up an opportunity to harass great horned owls. So maybe a merlin? It had to be some kind of hawk or falcon. It was clearly pretty impressive from Mrs Owl's reaction.
Hoo was that? Hoo hoo?
I have 4 owls .. 1 horned owl and 3 midget owls .. the big guy is new in my squad .. but I didn't interduce him to the rest of the crew .. my question is : can they get along together ? ( the horned and midgets )
Wow. Seems risky. I've read somewhere that great horned owls will eat screech owls here in Texas. Your midget owls might wind up being lunch.
Kind of looked like it could of been another GHO.
That was a American condor. Biggest and baddest bird of all time
Do we have condors in Texas? I don't think we do.
I was really surprised how big her wings were when she took off.
Yes, they are huge birds. Massive.
Nice job on the video.
Thank you!
Hoo was that??
A flying Jawn
So cool!
Bad ass owl.
Wise Owl 🦉
Falcon? Moving pretty fast for a RedTail
We honestly don't know. We zoomed out as quickly as we could but it was gone. We have falcons here so that's a possibility.
What was it?
We would love to know. We never saw it. We were watching live and zoomed out as quickly as we could to try to see, but we missed it. It was moving extremely fast.
Flyby pecking attempt
A red-tail maybe?
Maybe. We have quite a few of them around here.
WOW !!!
Whatever that was
Sure was bad news for the 🦉
The eagles Perch higher than the owls so am guessing it was an eagle or A UFO 😂
Let's say a UFO. I don't think we have many eagles here.
Bet it's a perigrin falcon, lightning bolt.
We do get peregrine falcons here, but only rarely. I just looked them up. Apparently they can move at twice the speed of a fastball in baseball. I don't know much about sports but that does sound like lightning to me.
He saw it coming from a mile away
Yes. And it was flying fast.
I slowed the video down to .25 speed and still couldn't see a thing!
We assume it was a hawk, but I don't think the video catches it. All we get to see is the owl's reaction.
@@TexasBackyardWildlife
Ahh...thank you!
🤣🤣🤣
drone
That would be funny! We never considered a drone. We assume it was a hawk.
I didn’t see any near miss just click bait 🙄
Really?
Only another raptor like a RTH would do that. I don't care for the GHO as it's an opportunistic aggressive bird that attacks and kills other raptors and their chicks for no good reason.
We do have red-tailed hawks around, and it was daytime, so that's a definite possibility.
Agreed. Rths are on record injuring and even on occasion killing a gho. An eagle will dish out the same punishment. It's daylight too. It's for those reasons you mentioned that they will attack the owl. I feel the same. I'm not sad one bit when the owls do get injured or perish at the hands of another raptor as they get what they deserve. They play a risky game attacking other raptors chick's at night. Stick to rabbits mice etc.. there's plenty of those.
Virtually all bird and mammal predators do to their competitors what you describe for the great-horned owl (and ALL are "opportunistic" with no exceptions), but saying it's "for no good reason" is a pointless attempt at attaching human logic and emotion to their actions. Have you ever watched the interactions of ospreys and bald eagles? Nasty stuff!
obviously, it was a Hawk swooping down at her because she was in his/her territory!!
The other owls get territorial too, but we don't think another owl would have moved so fast. Your guess of a hawk is most probably correct.