4w ago

Wet N Wild Fun

This fledgling Great Horned Owl took was especially attracted to the water spray and took full advantage of our outdoor misters last week-plopping down right underneath them and soaking up every drop like it was their own personal spa.
Owls have incredibly soft feathers that let them fly completely silently-a key adaptation for stealthy nighttime hunting. But all that fluff comes with a trade- off: when they get drenched, they can't fly until they're dry again!
With the heat we've been having, this soggy owl dried off in no time... but not before enjoying every second of their personal cooling station at the Owl Spa!

4 comments

thanks for giving link to OC!!!
owls are cool af
- I always try to give the original photographers credit, both due to their great work and so you can check out more of their stuff. That's a win-win!
  I've learned so much about owls and I feel in just scratching the surface. Truly wonderful and impressive animals.
And second prize in the Weird Alice lookalike competition, from Ojai Raptor Center . . .
- Aww, I love Weird Alice!
  I didn't see any dry photos of this GHO, but they did have this juvie Barn Owl in between its baby feathers and the adult set which also gives that molty Alice vibe.
  This fledgling Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) is rocking the "half-fluff, half-feathers" look as it transitions from chick to adult. Likely unaware of the camera sneaking a peek, it was caught in a moment of calm (note the tucked foot, a classic sign of a relaxed raptor).