After a recent snowstorm, I witnessed an unusual sight: barn owls, typically nocturnal hunters, venturing out during the day. This behavior piqued my curiosity, especially as I observed a male barn owl attempting to impress a female with his flight patterns. Despite his efforts, the female seemed more focused on hunting, flying along an empty feeder canal with her eyes and ears attuned to pinpointing a rodent in the tall grass. It was odd to see them hunting in the afternoon, but the snow-covered fields and ditch banks likely forced them to hunt during the day to meet their food needs. One of the owls, likely the female, captured a vole and flew into a grove of evergreens to eat it, a behavior that aligns with their usual whole-rodent swallowing habit. However, their activity didn't last long, and they disappeared into the grove of trees. I later returned to the area after the weather warmed, but no further activity was observed. This behavior raises questions about the owls' motivation for being active during the day. Typically, barn owls are not active during dusk and dawn but wait for total darkness to hunt or play. Hunger or disturbance are the primary reasons for their daytime activity. These owls prefer thick stands of evergreens, haystacks, or abandoned potato cellars, barns, and other outdoor buildings with minimal human traffic. Interestingly, these two barn owls have been the only ones I've seen since the winter of 2017 without being flushed from their cover. That year, hundreds of barn owls appeared in the Mud Lake area, and many were seen on haystacks and fence posts. However, an unusually warm front followed by bitter cold nights led to the death of most of them within a week. Since then, I've only seen a few, and most have been in the Howe area. The largest population of barn owls in Idaho is found in the Magic Valley, from Burley to Mountain Home, where they often hunt along Interstate 84 at night and are vulnerable to collisions with vehicles. Barn owls are the most widely spread owls globally, inhabiting every continent except Antarctica. However, in 2024, ornithologists classified barn owls in the Americas as American barn owls, those in South Asia to Australia as Eastern barn owls, and those in Europe, Africa, and western Asia as Western barn owls. This classification sparked controversy, as the birds are essentially the same. I, for one, will stick with the Idaho version of the American barn owl, known for its beautiful heart-shaped face. Additionally, the Great horned owls, whose hoots have kept some of us awake at night, have started sitting on their eggs. If another spring snowstorm occurs, I plan to capture some unique pictures of the moms covered in snow on their nests! As spring migration approaches, it promises to be an exciting time for bird enthusiasts. Stay tuned for more updates on the fascinating world of barn owls and other migratory birds.
