Barn owls Gylfie & Dryer were exhausted whilst raising their second, late brood. But when this fatigue began to threaten their chicks' chances of survival, I felt I had to step in.
Barn owls Gylfie & Dryer have been working hard since April. Their first brood resulted in one chick, Uno, then they fostered a rescued chick, Lucky.
Barn owl chicks
The pair's latest chicks are 14, nine and four days old, and although I can never be 100% certain I believe these are the chicks from eggs one, three and five, which explains why the eldest chick is so much bigger than the youngest. This dominance means the youngest cannot compete. Youngest chick perishes As time passes, this young chick doesn’t look well. Gylfie keeps standing on it and the eldest chick even pulls at it. Eventually it seems to disappear from the nest and I suspect the worst. It's likely Gylfie has fed it to the other two chicks - a common practice among birds since it is a source of food and also avoids attracting predators.
Owls exhausted
But something is wrong. Gylfie begins to spend less and less time in the nest and Dryer no longer brings in much food. Also, the food he does delivers doesn't always go to the chicks. After already raising one brood, it looks as though both owls are now exhausted - and hungry. Watch Gylfie snatch a mouse intended for the chicks!
Chicks now in danger
Adults in poor condition will not care or provide for their chicks. Some consider this all part of nature’s cycle, but for me when owl populations are struggling from lack of nesting sites, habitat and food source, it's important to lend a hand.
