Random Picture Thread

[weeman]

A little humor with Timmies 


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[Sonny]

hahaha....I've said that beer prayer many times..

[weeman]

These pics were taken outside of my home..
Can someone please let me know what kind of bird this is.

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[Tuc]

Nice pics,  Peregrine Falcon.

[pam161]

I found this Long Eared Owl in an old barn. They are a rare bird in Alberta.

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[pam161]

These pics were taken outside of my home..
Can someone please let me know what kind of bird this is.

I think it's a female Merlin.They are common in Alberta and very active this time of year. Keep watching her,the male will swoop in and give her a little loving. Then fly away.It happens all day.

[deerman]

Merlin (pigeon hawk)

[Speckle55]

Long Eared Owl nice pic Pam

here is one i have mounted and some Alberta info and Owls have ears

David

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[pam161]

Long Eared Owl nice pic Pam

here is one i have mounted and some Alberta info and Owls have ears

David

Are those tuffs of feathers part of the outer ear.That first picture dosent look like the one I seen.One of the ways you tell the differance between the greathorned owl and a longeared owl is the greathorned owls ears are on the outer edge of the head where the longhorn owls ears are on top of the head.I think that one is a young greathorn owl.

[Speckle55]

Pam i found 5 Long Eared Owls in 1 1/2 years when i was going into Edmonton for treatment on my foot .. 3 were not suitable to mount and two got mounted , mine and one went to our club

on the ears i have move that owl so many times that the head swivels and the ear feathers have been adjusted i need to pin the head and realign the tuffs..

here is a quote from the Raptor Center

David


Owl's Ears

Many owls have tufts of feathers on the tops of their heads which are often referred to as "horns" or "ears."  Even their names reflect this terminology: Great Horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, and Short-eared Owl.

 But these structures are neither horns (a bony outgrowth of the skull of some mammals), nor are they ears or in any way associated with hearing. A bird's ears are on the side of the head not on the top where these feather tufts are located.

 So what purpose do these "horns" or "ears" serve?

 It is thought that these structures may play a role in non-vocal communication. Nearly all of the owls with these "horns" or "ears" atop the head are found in dense woodlands. Owls of open country often have rounded heads. The Short-eared Owl is a bird of open lands and, while it does have these feather tufts, they are seldom visible unless fully erected and even then, they are quite short. An owl silhouetted in open country may be relatively easy to see while a bird in dense woodlands may be much more difficult to locate. By erecting these tufts of feathers, a more distinct outline suddenly becomes visible. This may allow pairs of birds (or families with young) to silently keep track of each other's presence, communicating by erecting and lowering these feathers. These tufts may also serve as signals to potential enemies by making the owl suddenly seem larger and more of a threat when the feathers become fully erect atop the head.

 In addition to communication, "ear" tufts play a very different role in assisting the owl, a role which is opposite of communicating. They assist in camouflaging the bird. Erecting the feathers as a way to communicate is done while the bird is in the open, on a perch where it can be easily seen. While sleeping or trying to avoid being seen, many owls (especially Screech-Owls) close the eyes tightly and erect the feathers over the brow and top of the face in such a way as to form a "V". Erecting the ear tufts fully extends this V above the head and breaks up the visible contour of the face. In these cases, the owl is usually perched on a branch and is pressed up against the tree trunk, or more frequently, perched in a tree hole. The pattern of coloration in the feathers, combined with the concealment posture, makes it nearly impossible to distinguish the owl from the bark of the tree trunk.

Dan Gleason
 


 

Are those tuffs of feathers part of the outer ear.That first picture dosent look like the one I seen.One of the ways you tell the differance between the greathorned owl and a longeared owl is the greathorned owls ears are on the outer edge of the head where the longhorn owls ears are on top of the head.I think that one is a young greathorn owl.

[weeman]

Happy Easter to All.

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[pam161]

They are more than likely in the breeding colors.David,would he or she have a mate by now.Can you tell the difference in the male and female.

[Speckle55]

i think the male is on the left .. pretty easy in this picture ;;;

David

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[AntlerAssassin]

Nice pictures everyone. Have a Happy Easter:)

[weeman]

Happy Easter to All.

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[AntlerAssassin]

That bird is tiny   wow.

[Alberta_huntress_83]

i think the male is on the left .. pretty easy in this picture ;;;

David

Oh David LOL! "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW!?" (That's my caption lol)

Cute pic. I'm sure its the male on the right lol.

[weeman]

Pics from Edmonton's River Valley.

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[AxeMan]

Male on the bottom, just a guess...

[weeman]

Pics from the river valley.

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