Back at our Littleton farm for a few days, I was awakened last night by the the hooting of a great horned owl. While we often hear them on the farm, primarily during the colder months, the hoots were especially loud and intense.
Monogamous and territorial, great horned owls hoot as part of their mating ritual and to protect their hunting grounds; once the young are raised and able to hunt for themselves, they are "encouraged" to find their own mate and territory. Hence the vigorous hooting that is often heard during the autumn months.
Great horned owls generally nest by late winter, even earlier at northern latitudes; this gives their young plenty of time to hone their hunting skills before mom and pop send them on their way. Facing a harsh winter on their own, they will feed on a wide variety of birds and small mammals; this seemingly cruel edict, common throughout the animal kingdom, prevents both inbreeding and overhunting. Of course, we humans are an exception, sometimes housing children and grandchildren long beyond an age at which they should be independent.
Monogamous and territorial, great horned owls hoot as part of their mating ritual and to protect their hunting grounds; once the young are raised and able to hunt for themselves, they are "encouraged" to find their own mate and territory. Hence the vigorous hooting that is often heard during the autumn months.
Great horned owls generally nest by late winter, even earlier at northern latitudes; this gives their young plenty of time to hone their hunting skills before mom and pop send them on their way. Facing a harsh winter on their own, they will feed on a wide variety of birds and small mammals; this seemingly cruel edict, common throughout the animal kingdom, prevents both inbreeding and overhunting. Of course, we humans are an exception, sometimes housing children and grandchildren long beyond an age at which they should be independent.
