Barn owls Willow and Ghost are incredible owl parents. Watch as they defy the odds after laying their eggs in the dead of winter.
Breeding season begins early
For barn owls Willow & Ghost the breeding season starts in December. Not only is there still snow on the ground, but their last brood have barely left the nest. Watch as Willow chases away her three chicks so that she and Ghost can begin preparing for a new family. Watch Willow scrape out a hollow to lay eggs in. Normally barn owls lay in spring so whilst this is not unheard of behaviour, it is unusual. Willow seems particularly keen on this nest. But she must fight for it. Watch her see off barn owls and kestrels to make sure Sycamore Stump is hers.
Willow lays egg
By mid-January the first egg is here. Willow must now incubate and will rely on Ghost to supply her with food. When he turns up with just a small morsel of food she almost throws it at him. Barn owls lay their eggs 2/3 days apart. Willow's second egg is 2 days after the first and the 3rd another 3 days later. Watch the male barn owl Ghost's reaction when he sees his two eggs. As blizzards howl and rain lashes the nest, Ghost struggles to fly to hunt for food. But the pair battle on, keeping their eggs warm despite the storms.
Barn owl Skye hatches
At last the first chick hatches and within a few hours Willow is feeding this tiny owlet its first meal. The chick, a female later named Skye, can barely sit upright and its eyes are yet to open. The 2nd & 3rd chicks hatch and Willow & Ghost's are now so busy feeding and incubating. The chicks vary in size considerably , and the older two can already bob their heads and flap their wings.
The Owlets
By March the chicks are start spending their days looking out of the nest. Barn owls need to keep their feathers clean and after so long in the nest Willow bathes in the pond. The weather is now hot and as the chicks grow there is less room in the nest, so Willow moves out. But she stays close and to protect the chicks. Slowly the chicks lose their fluffy down. As their adult plumage grows through, the floor of the nest is covered in the tiny waxy pins that top the flight feathers. Now that they are alone, the chicks take care of one another. But this sibling love goes out of the window when there is food about!
First to fledge
Skye is the first to fledge. This involves a short flight out of the nest and back. The owlets get identification tags and we learn how to tell the difference between male & female barn owls and enjoy a close up of how their claws fit together like pieces of a jigsaw to help them hunt. Over the next month the owlets perfect their flying and hunting skills, using Sycamore nest as a base. It's amazing to watch them gain confidence.
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