How do you pronounce "buteo?" Is a bird's rump the same thing as its coverts? Here is a fun blog done by Hawkwatch International. These serious birders have actually created a clever, useful blog without getting their underwear in a bunch.
I've been watching the Savannah GHO's and reading the posts from worried people afraid that the little owlets are cold in the nest with all the wind and drizzling rain. It made me start wondering about the body temp of a GHO and are they really cold? I don't think it's very likely that they will freeze to death in Savannah, GA since it is 46 degrees but off to google world I went anyway. I read several articles about their body temp and what weather does to them. Most of the articles were studies done comparing the Great Horned Owl and the Red tailed Hawk body temps since they are about the same size, occupy the same territory and eat basically the same food. The difference of course is that the owls and the hawks hunt at different times. What I came away with reading about thermoregulation is that it doesn't depend so much on the weather which doesn't have much of an effect on the body temps of either the owls or the hawks. It really depends more on whether or not they are getting enough food. GHO's are among the earliest nesting birds of prey so they are always nesting when it's cold outside. By the way, Great Horned Owls have a body temp around 103.1 that cycles a little bit lower when they are inactive. So I guess what this means is that if these raptors are being nourished we shouldn't worry about the weather. http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/spring/FebOwls.html says: The most widespread, common owl on the continent is the Great Horned Owl. This hardy species can not only survive temperatures close to forty below zero--it can sit in that frigid air while incubating eggs, keeping them a toasty 37 degrees C! A healthy bird's body temperature fluctuates more than ours does, but a Great Horned Owl's body temperature in Minnesota in during February has been recorded from 37.5 to 40.4 degrees C. The owl's abundant, thick body feathers allow her to share her warmth with the eggs while keeping the frigid outside air out. Of course, her body is warming the eggs from above.
Turns out reading about Great Horned Owl body temps and Red Tailed Hawks body temps is pretty interesting after all. I don't think I'll worry about the Savannah owlets being cold after reading about it. Help yourself!
Here is an article on the startling development of eagle incest at Norfolk. This time it's not gossip at Peyton Place; it's the scientific opinion of Dr. Bryan Watts:
Here is a great comparison/explanation of why a mature eagle is a better fish catcher than a juvie or sub- adult. (Check out Sasse Photo Facebook page )http://tinyurl.com/kukq6hv
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Tue Nov 04, 2014 1:19 pm
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This time it's not gossip at Peyton Place; it's the scientific opinion of Dr. Bryan Watts:
