nestling

Saving an owlet (a great example)

Think back to the snow-covered quiet of mid-winter… did you hear the “hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo” of Great Horned Owls calling back and forth? And while the coldness of winter might prompt humans to wonder how animals can survive sub-zero temperatures in Wisconsin, Great Horned Owls are doing more than surviving: They’re nesting!

Here is a story of an unlucky owlet who fell from a nest but was lucky to have some knowledgeable humans lend a helping hand.

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Into the Nest: What goes in must come out

Into the Nest: What goes in must come out

Keeping the nest clean is a pretty big deal. Some large raptors are able to defend their nest from nearly anything, so it doesn’t matter how messy they are. Not so for our grassland birds. They are ill-equipped to fight back against most predators, and fare much better when they’re able to go unnoticed. Dirty nests could smell strongly, and attract curious - and hungry! - mammalian predators.

Photo by Carolyn Byers