Live Barn Owl Web Cam

[annekat]

At last feeding the third one looked stronger so it might be eating now too. Pappa brought in another squirrel. Barn owl camera still not working.

I sure hope so. Last time I looked, the little one didn't seem to know that he needed to open his mouth in order to get fed, and the other two were in front and pushing him aside when he tried to come forward. Time to look again, and hope I see him looking better.

[Sangye]

I don't think bald eagles are nocturnal are they? If not, where is the father right now?

[annekat]

I don't think bald eagles are nocturnal are they? If not, where is the father right now?

I'm not sure we can always tell the difference between the father and the mother, since both have the same markings and can perform the same duties. Al says the father is a little smaller. I think I've seen both parents together in the nest during another day, if not today. If one isn't there, he or she must be out looking for food. I think you are right that they aren't nocturnal, whereas the owls are more so.

[annekat]

Oh, I see i completely missed the point of your question, Sangye! It is NIGHT in Iowa right now, though still light here! Duh! So, yeah, if they aren't nocturnal, the father shouldn't be out flying around too much. Maybe Al can shed some light on this.

[Sangye]

LOL Maybe the father is out playing pool. Phil, go check the pool hall would ya?

[annekat]

Maybe the dad sleeps somewhere else than in the nest? Like nearby, in the crook of a tree, where he can be semi-alert in case of marauding owls or whatnot. Guess I should get out a bird book and do some research.

[annekat]

American Bald Eagle - Nesting & Young
Here's a good page about eagles' nesting and raising young... very informative, though didn't answer my question about where the male sleeps.

[pberggren1]

The father is at the Eagle's club........lol

[Al]

The father is at the Eagle's club........lol

...Grabbing a few quick ones with the lads for the road, maybe...?

A nesting pair does not share the nest, though they do trade off with the incubation duties. The few time both parents are at the aerie are more for "business" reasons--who has carrion duty today and such. Eagles are indeed diurnal rather than nocturnal. I'm not sure where the one off duty sleeps. My guess is on a perch nearby, which is where eagles hang out in non-nesting times. But there is little or no "sleeping around" (many birds are life-time pair bonders, yet rather promiscuous in spite of that). Mating is essentially for life, though if one or the pair were to die, the widow or widower would typically try to find a new mate as quickly as possible.

Eagles are not great hunters, like Falcons or Hawks. Rather, they are opportunistic scavengers. And, yes, they often get harassed for their findings I once saw several turkey vultures and a raven hounding an eagle until it dropped the fish it was carrying. It is a tough world.

Al

[mishb]

Three nice sized babies in the barn owl nest and three eggs still yet to hatch.

All these webcams are fantastic ........ not getting much work done though