February 25, 2000

     Owls Signal Start of Nesting Season

Great horned owls already have been spotted on nests, incubating their eggs high in trees.   This signals the beginning of the bird nesting season, because the great horned owl is the earliest nesting bird in Minnesota.

Following a snow or sleet storm, it is not uncommon to see an owl incubating under a cover of snow or ice.   It seems remarkable that its eggs should be laid before the last of the snow has melted, because they would freeze if left unprotected.  The reason, however, is clear when one considers the facts.

The incubation period is about 28 days; the young remain in the nest for six or seven weeks and are unable to fly until they are 10 to 12 weeks old.  If the eggs are laid before the first of March, it will be mid-June or later before the young are partially able to care for themselves.  During this time, and probably for a few more weeks, they are fed by their parents.  The young are voracious feeders and their food is difficult to obtain, so it is much easier for their parents to provide for their needs before the summer foliage becomes too dense, making hunting for rabbits, skunks, and other animals difficult.