Dead Owl in my driveway

[OVERKILL]

I don't see owls around. Ever. I think the last one I saw, we were in Muskoka and both my grandparents were still alive, it was a Great Horned and this was the mid to late 90's.

So today, after pulling into the driveway, I see a dead bird, partially obscured with snow. I kick it out of the snow and thought it was decapitated (normal cat stuff) and then I realize it isn't. Flip it over and its an owl. No obvious signs of trauma, not sure what caused it to die. Claws are rolled up

I'm not sure on what kind of owl it is, so I will post a couple of pictures to see if anybody can identify it.

 

[simple_gifts]

8(

Owls are seriously under appreciated and acknowledged birds.

Large migration happening

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/24/snowy-owl-lemming-population-us-canada

 

[OVERKILL]

 

[Falken]

Screech Owl?

 

[Falken]

Eastern Screech Owl, Rufous Morph (Red) is my best guess.

He's pretty banged up and it is low light.

 

[OneEyeJack]

I see them often at night cruising around. They sometimes look like light gray shadows. They are completely silent.

We have some big ones around here. Last spring one flew off with a little bunny rabbit. The rabbit was kicking but I don't think it did any good. Good my bunny.

The crows here chase off all kinds of birds even hawks but they don't ever mess with the owls or turkey vultures.

 

[FastGame]

Originally Posted By: Falken
Eastern Screech Owl, Rufous Morph (Red) is my best guess.

He's pretty banged up and it is low light.


yep

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Falken
Eastern Screech Owl, Rufous Morph (Red) is my best guess.

He's pretty banged up and it is low light.


Do you think he flew into the side of my house or something?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Falken
Eastern Screech Owl, Rufous Morph (Red) is my best guess.

Could be. I don't see the pointy ears though, but maybe because it's dead...

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3395453/Eastern_Screech_Owl#Post3395453

 

[Dave Hess]

Maybe it was sick and cold weather finished it off.

 

[hotwheels]

Somewhere a wizard or witch is very sad.

hotwheels

 

[OVERKILL]

I think he looks more like this guy:

From here:

http://10000birds.com/exodus-the-migration-of-saw-whet-owls-in-north-america.htm

Quote:
Each autumn, in the northern hemisphere, a mass exodus commences; Northern Saw-whet Owls Aegolius acadius depart their breeding grounds in the boreal forest belt of Canada and the northern United States for more temperate climes in which to pass the winter months. There are hundreds of banding stations scattered about the U.S. and Canada that set mist nets in the way of the flood of migrants to learn a bit about this hemisphere’s most numerous owl.

 

[Falken]

I think that is the one, Saw Whet.

Man are they ever cute.

Hope I don't get flamed, but that is a darn cute owl haha!

 

[OVERKILL]

At the behest of a friend, I've brought it inside to see if it is just knocked out. Unfortunately, the two neighbouring girls buried it in the snow assuming it was dead. So if it was knocked out, it may be dead now. Anyways, I have it inside, in a box. I assume it is deceased but hey, nature could surprise me right?

 

[cheech279]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
At the behest of a friend, I've brought it inside to see if it is just knocked out. Unfortunately, the two neighbouring girls buried it in the snow assuming it was dead. So if it was knocked out, it may be dead now. Anyways, I have it inside, in a box. I assume it is deceased but hey, nature could surprise me right?


Reminds me of the dead parrot skit by Monty Python: He is not dead. He's resting.

Actually I think owls are some of the best gifts we get from nature.

 

[andyd]

I live back off the road overlooking a fresh water marsh. Lotsa small fauna plus deer and the occasional coyote. I was working upstairs in the addition one night and a small owl banged into the french doors. Thankfully, it was only dazed. But I've had robins and nuthatches kill themselves flying into windows.

 

[cjcride]

Looks like the Northern Saw Whet. With the snow cover and bitter cold we have had it could have starved.
Rare site in the big city but have seen 2 through the years. Always nice to spot.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack

The crows here chase off all kinds of birds even hawks but they don't ever mess with the owls or turkey vultures.


On her run this morning, my wife scared up a hawk that was eating something. It flew off with a crow in its talons. No wonder those guys harass hawks so much.

 

[JHZR2]

Sad. We don't see owls very often either, but we have a little guy just like that who shows up on our fence now and again.

I wish we had more owls around, I like them.

If this one got hit/bit/etc., Im sure the cold and snow hasn't helped...

 

[dlundblad]

Since we live in a woods, owls are everywhere. I love hearing the "who cooks for you, who cooks for youuuuuuuu" hoot sound. Don't really see too much of them in the winter though.

I have yet to see a dead owl though. Definitely an abnormal thing.