Tierra de Oro Laboratory

Physiology and Ecology in the Pinyon-Juniper Savanna

Tag: birds

  • Owls 2026: Nesting to Fledging

    The western screech owlets have grown up and left the nest. All but one of the eggs hatched, and everyone who hatched has fledged. Using Terry’s video clips, I have assembled a video showing some of the high points. For all of the videos from 2025 and 2026, check out Terry’s Owl Cam page.

    The video below is a bit big, so may take some time to load.

    Here is the Terry’s updated hatch and fledge data from the past seven years. The hatching times show some variation, but the time from hatching to fledging is remarkably consistent at 29 days.

  • Owlets Eating and Growing

    Small fuzzy shapes in nest box.
    Four owlets waiting for food. 5/3/26

    Four of the five eggs have hatched, and the parents are feeding them heavily with insects, rodents, and birds. The most recent videos are here. For all the rest, check out the owl box main page.

  • Owl Cam Starts Again!

    Screech owl in Terry’s box. 5/12/25

    The western screech owls in Terry’s nest box are starting their spring activity. They seem to be slower getting started than in previous years. Nonetheless, there is nesting material in the box, and the male is hunting for food. Hoping for eggs soon!

    If you want to see all the videos, including those from last year, go here.

  • Owl Cam: Maybe a Week To Go

    The owlets in the nest box have been growing at an astounding rate, and are well on their way to fledging. The parents have been delivering food constantly, and the chicks get more active and inquisitive all the time.

    Sleepy parent having a look out the doorway. Credit Terry Morgan, 5/10/25.

    The parents have been out and about quite a bit, and seem unbothered by the presence of observers and paparazzi.

    Parent, probably mom, resting in the late morning. 5/14/25.

    Family Album from Past Years

    This seems like a good time to reminisce about past broods. It’s hard to know how long these particular parents have been rearing young in Terry’s box, but screech owls have been nesting there for many years. Terry has many more excellent photos; here is a small sampling.

    Parent resting on a chair on the patio. Credit: Terry Morgan.
    Four fledglings and a parent (far right) in the eaves. Credit: Terry Morgan.
    Fledgling on the patio. Credit: Terry Morgan.
    Fledgling in a pinyon tree. Credit: Terry Morgan.

    The drama in the nest box continues. Based on past broods, he expects them to fledge on or about May 22. As always, stay tuned for more.

  • New Feature: Owl Cam

    New Season of an Ongoing Project

    For several years, our neighbor Terry has been recording and posting footage from his camera inside a next box occupied by a pair of western screech owls. He has always had a strong following on Facebook, but for those of us who do not use the platform, he has offered to make the information and videos available here on the Lab web site.

    Black and white image of an owl sitting inside a nest box
    Owl resting triumphantly after removing the mirror that had been mounted on the upper right. 3/4/25.

    Once again, they have prepped the nest box and have started to lay eggs. The first video clips have been uploaded to Terry’s Owl Cam page, along with his comments and a spreadsheet of data regarding previous broods.

    New videos and commentary will be uploaded regularly, so stay tuned for plenty of drama and excitement. There are two eggs now, with more to come, and then it will be about another month before they hatch. Once the eggs hatch, there will be a festival of cuteness as the little fuzzballs eat and grow for roughly another month before they fledge.