Owl thread

[Mike Gayner]

This is my favourite owl picture.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

More owls plx.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

I said more owls.

 

[Triumph]

Owls are pretty neat, actually. Seen them twice this summer in the woods at night - it's really kinda creepy when they fly by you because all you hear is the whoooosh of a large amount of displaced air. The noises they make are haunting, too.

I think of owls as kind of like the cats of the animal world.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

 

[Mike Gayner]

lol awesome.

 

[Locut0s]

 

[Locut0s]

 

[Mike Gayner]

Woah

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Transformer Owl

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1c2_1276980347

Awesome owl, can't believe I missed this post. There is a little info about this owl here.

 

[shiner]

 

[zinfamous]

I'm partial to peregrines and other falcons, but owls absolutely do rock.

I used to go owl hollering with my pop out in the woods. Getting a great-horned going is pretty damn awesome, I must admit.

 

[zinfamous]

Did you guys know that owls hunt by sound more than they do with their large eyes?

They have ear tufts, which are little ridges of cartilage and feathers that sit at an angle behind their ear canals. the tufts capture sound and reflect it back into the ear canal at an angle. much like sonar, this gives them precise distance and direction cues--to cm sensitivity--that allows them to pinpoint and strike a mouse from up to 50 feet away (maybe more?), in about 2 seconds strike time.

I think barn owls are the best at this kind of hunting, as they tend to hang out in enclosed spaces, giving them greater sound sensitivity.

 

[rasczak]

Transformer Owl

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1c2_1276980347

transformer owl is nothing short of badass.

 

[zinfamous]

transformer owl is nothing short of badass.

Richard Gere is giggling with anticipation over the possibilities.

D:

 

[rasczak]

Richard Gere is giggling with anticipation over the possibilities.

D:

oh my. D:

 

[foghorn67]

 

[lxskllr]

Did you guys know that owls hunt by sound more than they do with their large eyes?

They have ear tufts, which are little ridges of cartilage and feathers that sit at an angle behind their ear canals. the tufts capture sound and reflect it back into the ear canal at an angle. much like sonar, this gives them precise distance and direction cues--to cm sensitivity--that allows them to pinpoint and strike a mouse from up to 50 feet away (maybe more?), in about 2 seconds strike time.

I think barn owls are the best at this kind of hunting, as they tend to hang out in enclosed spaces, giving them greater sound sensitivity.

And did YOU know the feathers on the leading edges of their wings are fuzzy to enable silent flight?

 

[zinfamous]

And did YOU know the feathers on the leading edges of their wings are fuzzy to enable silent flight?

Raptors are pretty much perfect creatures all around, imo.


and it makes perfect sense, b/c dinosaurs were already such badasses.


(I've semi-secretly wanted to take up falconing as a hobby)

 

[lxskllr]

Yea, raptors are my favorite birds. They look awesome, sound awesome, are awesome :^)

 

[zinfamous]

I'm sadly envious of this guy:

 

[lxskllr]

That would be a sweet gig. Falconry at a ren fest during season, and maybe do pest control as a main business. I gave it a bit of thought myself, but I think licensing is tough, and I'm not sure how well you could turn it into income.

 

[KeithTalent]

Transformer Owl

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1c2_1276980347

That is freaking awesome.

KT

 

[foghorn67]

You guys should check out local zoos for raptor flight demos. It's a real treat.

 

[zinfamous]

That would be a sweet gig. Falconry at a ren fest during season, and maybe do pest control as a main business. I gave it a bit of thought myself, but I think licensing is tough, and I'm not sure how well you could turn it into income.

It's pretty much a hobby, I guess....unless you can get a steady gig at an airport, maybe. But that's probably the type of thing where you're grandfathered-in. Kinda like a gondolier in Venice. :\

But say you have a steady gig clearing birds at an airport, plus take your birds around to the elementary schools during the school year (hmm...that's probably pro-bono, though ), based at a University, work at the park....people can certainly swing this stuff.