Remarkable Prey Delivery! Barred Owl Becomes Meal At Great Horned Owl Nest - March 13, 2022

[@zamfantastic]

I found a Great Horned Owl nest, in college. Over the weeks, on the ground underneath, I found Great Blue Heron feathers & Red Tail Hawk feathers, among the many rabbit tails. It was pretty amazing!

[@poeridley5942]

That's wild!

[@mozu517]

Wow, I didn't realize how varied their diet was, especially other 🦉!

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

That is an saying about what is included in the GHOW diet that it consists of anything that walks, runs, swims or flies.

[@wynandvangent9794]

Quite a Hunter, never knew had such an appetite

[@wildlifeisthewealthofnatur5457]

@@michaeldeierhoi4096 Yes. There's a reason why they are called "tigers of the sky".

[@sophiafatcat]

I had seen this the other day when reviewing overnight video - didn't know what it was at first except it was huge!!

[@DoubleDogDare54]

There actually isn't that much to a barred owl. Lots of feathers, little meat. Less than two pounds for a male/less than 2.5 for a female. And that includes the skeleton, feet and other parts unlikely to be eaten.

[@beatricecallan]

@@DoubleDogDare54 Though they eat everything, feet all included

[@remyogun8270]

An accipiter hawk attacks the nest @ 4:31 and then vocalizes. Probably a Cooper's hawk.

[@carlobrigante4764]

Yeah that was pretty cool. Owl didn't even see it

[@jonaskatona7136]

Yup, almost certainly a Cooper's hawk, considering that the call heard immediately afterwards is undeniably that of a Cooper's hawk.

[@turbofanlover]

Wow. Say what you want about Great Horned Owls...but they are awesome predators. Great footage.

[@tto1910]

Wow this is insane!. Shows the true power GHO have.

[@notesfromleisa-land]

When I first saw this carnage, it was from the nest cam. I saw an owl sitting there and my immediate reaction was that it was the male sitting among the nest carnage of his little one and female. She had already been attacked by the a red tailed hawk prior. I was quite upset! I found the twitter feed where I learned that the nest was fine, the prey...not so much. Whether a male/female barred owl, it is devastating to their nest. The male does most of the hunting while the female incubates/broods during chilly spring temps. Of course for any watching the Barred Owl cam, as I have for several years, we see our favorite songbird feathers strewn about the predator pantry. But it is predation for survival, not for fun. Accordingly as we watch we bear witness to the natural cycle. Please consider donating to Cornell for the work that they do to bring us these feeds and provide us with high quality information on their website for all the birds that we research and welcome into our back yards.

[@notesfromleisa-land]

@Mist Land I spied her on a top branch on another cam when I thought the little seemed alone quite a bit. The camera field of view more narrow than the mom's watchful eye. She's a wonderful mom...I don't think I've seen the male deliver any food. My sporadic view of the Barred Owl Cam at least catches the male bringing food. Admittedly I'm just popping in and watching for less than a minute...but I catch the male BO delivering...the GHO, NOT!

[@dougdouglas2112]

Great video. Thanks for the heads up about the hawk @430. 👍

[@lewistasso8866]

Oh my goodness! An owl feeding an owl an owl? Wow! Cornell, we need more info on this area, please.

[@notesfromleisa-land]

GHO, like eagles, are apex predators (top of the avian food chain). I found a large red tailed hawk (pile of feathers and head only) in my woods. Not sure what got it, but we have owls and bald eagles.

[@CornellBirdCams]

Thanks for your comment. It's been documented that Great Horned Owls will eat other species of adult and young owls and raptors if given the chance. Great Horned Owls pose the most serious threat as predators of adult Barred Owls. In woodlands where both species exist, Barred Owls are known to shift their territories to avoid encounters with Great Horned Owls.

[@mozu517]

@@CornellBirdCams Wow! I never realized that.

[@lewistasso8866]

@@CornellBirdCams Thank you, Cornell!! The other night, I heard the call of a Great Horned Owl again in my neighborhood after 2 years. Hopefully, I will hear it again. This information has given me even more fascination with my favorite species of raptors. Hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo!!

[@henritink100]

Savannah Georgia. Great horned owls are called the tiger of the sky!!

[@vivian3829]

Wuauu!!! 😮como ha crecido este polluelo🤗 pero aun no como solo😉👍

[@WildlifeWatcher20]

The parent owl at 4:18 in the video looks tired of plucking feathers. Great Horned Owls are impressive- they can take large prey.

[@valdivia1234567]

I'm lucky enough to have both GH Owls and Barred Owls on my property. As well as Red Shouldered Hawks and Coopers Hawks. Finally, there's a pair of Red-Tailed Hawks that have their territory over my property. I've always been surprised that all of these raptors live essentially in the same ~30 acre area. I guess more than enough prey around makes them not really care about each other.

[@dewbow134]

oh my gosh!!! owl eating another owl....😮. when i check in and saw those feathers I was thinking that it was a barred owl but I just didn't know what to think. unbelievable😳😳

[@ferrisb1588]

WHOA! a WHOLE BARRED OWL?! That's insane! what I wouldn't give to see that fight (or assassination)!!!! Though I can't help but feel sad for that barred owl's mate (and possible chicks? I'm not certain of their nesting cycle)! Such is the circle of life

[@num1hendrickfan]

Looks like a young barred owl from the size so probably offspring of a nearby pairing. Highly doubt they could take on an adult Barred Owl.

[@ferrisb1588]

@@num1hendrickfan Makes sense! Thank you :)!

[@num1hendrickfan]

@@ferrisb1588 from reading they could occasionally take an adult Barred Owl. Impressive actually.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@num1hendrickfan I question your conclusion because the GHOW has been known to kill red-tailed hawks and even eagles on occasion. At night or even dusk or dawn the GHOW has an advantage over the diurnal hawks. And the GHOW could easily overpower the smaller barred owl. Their advantage is the element of surprise and aggressive behavior. That may have a young inexperienced barred, but it clearly has adult plumage.

[@QUEENBEE200384]

@@num1hendrickfan they can definitely take on an adult barred owl. By 4 months old they’re full grown and won’t grow anymore. It might have been a first or second year inexperienced barred owl though. Horned owls take down cats, skunks and porcupines. There’s not much that they fear.

[@dianaolsem7559]

Awhile back, I could hear a Barred Owl in the background while listening to the live feed.

[@theresaburke3017]

I have 2 Barred Owl nest close to each other in my yard.

[@ronsmith1364]

thought it was a hawk of some kind when I first saw all those striped wing feathers. The feet looked 'predator like' too Wow. Wonder if this happens with golden eagles during nesting season too. The crow escort with the squirrel this am was neat. 3-15 just at dawn.

[@henritink100]

I watched this as it happened! Mom flew in right as I turned it in to check

[@deblewis8374]

That's why you don't use owl calls. You never know what could be lurking in the next tree.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

Why are you afraid it will attack you?? I have often called owls and they usually just call back.

[@deblewis8374]

@@michaeldeierhoi4096 If you call a barred owl (for example) you could be alerting a great horn to its location. Calling a prey to the predator.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@deblewis8374 Well that is doubtful imo. Because I don't initiate the call to the barred owl. They always call first and simply respond though I haven't done it in years since I did live in their habitat anymore.

[@maryl7734]

I assume Mom needed to find food quickly because she was away from the nest and her owlet for over 15 hours before she found this prey for dinner. This is nature.

[@sms4925]

Wow, had no idea that owls would prey upon each other!

[@remyogun8270]

Horned Owls will prey on similar sized and smaller raptors including hawks and most other Owls, excluding the Snowy.

[@mixtaperadio]

might want to watch the southwest Florida eagle cam. GHO's always attack the nest trying for an adult or chick.

[@Torgo1969]

They are mesmerizingly cute, but they are among the most brutal of animals. Death From Above!

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@mixtaperadio It may not be so much about preying on the owl or its chick as it is demonstrating some aggressive behavior against the owl for territorial or other reasons. A red-tailed hawk has twice flown through hitting this GHOW in the head. Not predatory but about territorial. Or, Hawks and eagles and GHOW's don't get along each either so that is a factor.

[@jonaskatona7136]

@@remyogun8270 iirc, snowy owls are actually one of the closest relatives of the great horned owls and share more similarities than ppl realize, so this doesn't surprise me too much

[@doghouse94087]

I watched this as she brought it home but couldn't figure out what type of bird it was. I knew it was BIG.

[@LemonGreen441]

very sad for the Barred Owl, but it's wildlife, every animal needs to find their way to live

[@mallorykaiser568]

Oh it is another owl just seen that! Wow I didn't know they ate each other wow crazy! 😕

[@karenstoddard1765]

The Great Horned Owl may have been protecting it's baby. Plus needed a meal, too. Wonderful sighting!

[@mallorykaiser568]

Wonder what kind of bird is eating it almost looks like another owl!

[@gracezw1389]

Thank you! My question is, this Great Horned Owl's nest looks open. How does it protect his/her own baby/babies from eaten by another adult raptor?

[@DoubleDogDare54]

Hey, what's a little cannibalism between family members?

[@kara.l6168]

I’ve been googling what those feathers are for two days, I was leaning more towards a red hawk because of the striped markings but then for sure could be a barred owl. You all know better than me, definitely an amazing catch and I hope it didn’t have babies in a nest🥲

[@remyogun8270]

Those are not Red tail hawk feathers

[@Allison-ti5vv]

Not red tail hawk. Far from it

[@kara.l6168]

I said I WAS” leaning at FIRST then after it tore up feathers it looked barred owl. I didn’t say red tail hawk either. Red and gray hawks do have similar black and white striped feathers. Everyone always has to go in attack mode over comments. 🙄

[@CrowSkeleton]

The raptor equivalent of packaging that's 2/3 air.

[@rakasome]

At 8:14:37 the owl's mate swoops over. Camera time, not video time. Maybe NOT the mate? Cooper hawk?

[@sherrywebber4013]

Awwww ..... I hope it's not the Barred Owl from your other video!!💕💕❤🦉🦉🦉

[@notesfromleisa-land]

that one is in Indianapolis

[@deborahhughes6923]

Oh WOWZERS! Well, Sad for the barred owl for sure. But, I mean they have to eat. But,very unfortunate.

[@robertkeane9235]

Could the prey item be the mate of the coopers hawk that strafed the nest? The markings look very similar.

[@Torgo1969]

Here's hoping! Bow Down to the Owl.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

The title of the video says the prey was a Barred owl which corrected earlier statements that it was a red-tailed hawk.

[@jonaskatona7136]

Nah, those are undeniably barred owl markings, both in color and patterning. For one, the cooper's hawk's body would have been much more slender and with darker colorations.

[@_ethanol_]

That’s crazy!

[@damamae950]

Oh nnnnnnooooo! Okay. I'll get a grip. It's a food chain, and I'm a zoologist.

[@goliac492]

Mom had clue the Hawk over flew the nest.

[@bbear753]

Only the strong survived

[@finjo9673]

Hey son, ready for supper? On the menu today we have CANNIBALISM

[@Torgo1969]

What a shame. He was a good Owl. What a rotten way to die.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@Torgo1969 That's life. It's not a shame but a part of nature and it has been going on for millions of years.

[@elenabaker3967]

OMGOSH that's incredible and sad.

[@michaelsimko7694]

OMG!

[@Kyddoemiko13]

Law of nature at work 🦉🦉

[@kimerleviccaro1957]

I love birds, but I find it heartbreaking to see birds eating other birds.

[@melaniesee8916]

Everybody’s gotta eat.

[@123ore]

Wow

[@Torgo1969]

Momma Owl would have done better by bringing home something with a lot of meat instead of a lot of feathers.

[@trishnoel1635]

I didn't owl's eat owl's, that's terrible.

[@Allison-ti5vv]

Yup it happens

[@emilysimon9726]

Almost looks like more trouble than it’s worth?

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

For the GHOW?? Since we never saw how much of a fight occured before the great horned took it down it is presumptuous to guess such things! At any rate there the GHOW is probably the most aggressive bird in the air in North America and will take on anything within reason.

[@emilysimon9726]

@@michaeldeierhoi4096 Meant that it looked like a ton of work for the GHOW to dismember and pluck the captured prey, that’s all.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@emilysimon9726 I understand better what you're saying. The GHOW will kill and eat a huge variety of animals. If it can catch and kill it then eating it is a foregone conclusion. And GHOW's do not dismember their prey anyway. The more laborious process is plucking the feathers to get to the skin before they can eat and feed their young.

[@amyhooks6506]

💔

[@yvonnerogers6429]

😎

[@alanamullen2294]

Barred owls are invasive in western United States, but I guess this is eaten U.S.

[@zerinah4683]

Why would you post this??!?! I know this is "Nature" but for F sake why throw it in our face? This is sad.. It is nature and so forth but WHY POST this sadness?

[@Allison-ti5vv]

Why are you looking. This is behavior for larger owls it happens in all animals really

[@num1hendrickfan]

@Zerinah I think you answered your own question as to why post this. It's nature, and we get an insight into the lives of these Great Horned Owls currently occupying this nest site. Part of that insight into their lives includes watching the pair mate, raise young, and seeing whatever prey that consists as part of their diets. Most of the time it's smaller rodents, skunks, other birds. Sometimes a hawk or other owl. Hawks and other owls do the same, these are Apex predators.

[@maryl7734]

I saw a parent GHO eat it's owlet after it fell from the nest and died in freezing temperatures, they don't discriminate when it comes to food. This is nature.

[@richardb.8560]

As someone already posted…why are you watching? I’m actually disappointed they didn’t show more.

[@Rr-ri4oi]

It is your choice to watch or not - nature happens whether we like it or not & decide to watch it or not. Humans do much worse things to other humans because they actually know better - an owl only knows if it does not feed it's young they will die ... Much that is wrong with the world is denying objective reality - here we have objective reality as it applies to the natural world of the Barred Owl.