Comments on: Baby Flammulated Owl http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/08/12/baby-flammulated-owl/ Where science collides with life, slams into culture, crashes with politics, and gets totaled. Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:28:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Wendy Cole http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/08/12/baby-flammulated-owl/#comment-66840 Wendy Cole Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:00:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=11626#comment-66840 Hey Scott...thanks so much for your information. We found this bird inches off a very busy singletrack mountainbike trail at 8500 feet at Deer Valley, Utah. He did have well developed wing feathers, and could have flown off at any time as he perched on my finger for about 30 minutes, flapped his wings once or twice with my prodding, but never let go of my finger. I think he probably fledged a day or two too soon, but I just couldn't leave him there on the ground in harm's way. We had never heard of his species, but he was the cutest thing ever and is now in Ogden, Utah at a owl rescue facility. This has been so entertaining as well as educational for us, and your comments are appreciated. Hey Scott…thanks so much for your information. We found this bird inches off a very busy singletrack mountainbike trail at 8500 feet at Deer Valley, Utah. He did have well developed wing feathers, and could have flown off at any time as he perched on my finger for about 30 minutes, flapped his wings once or twice with my prodding, but never let go of my finger. I think he probably fledged a day or two too soon, but I just couldn’t leave him there on the ground in harm’s way. We had never heard of his species, but he was the cutest thing ever and is now in Ogden, Utah at a owl rescue facility. This has been so entertaining as well as educational for us, and your comments are appreciated.

]]> By: Scott Yanco http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/08/12/baby-flammulated-owl/#comment-66800 Scott Yanco Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:00:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=11626#comment-66800 Chris - I have been part of a Flammulated Owl research project in Colorado for the past seven years (part of a 30+ year study). I'm sorry to say but based on the time of year that you found this bird, as well as the plumage (well developed facial disk, fully gray juvenile plumage) it have been a fledgling, and not a nestling in need of rescue. The little ones can end up roosting in some pretty inadvisable places for the first few weeks, but will remain well attended by adults during the nighttime hours. Most nests in CO (and I would likely UT, as well) should have fledged in late July - average fledge date is around the 20th; earlier in recent years, likely due to climate change. It's a very cool species, with some unique habitat affinities and low reproductive rates that make it a great study subject - besides being extremely photogenic! I'm sure he'll do just fine at a rehab center (where I presume you took him) - but I thought you might like to know. Either way, it's a rare find to stumble across a Flamm of any age, let alone a hatching year bird, without already knowing where to look. Chris – I have been part of a Flammulated Owl research project in Colorado for the past seven years (part of a 30+ year study). I’m sorry to say but based on the time of year that you found this bird, as well as the plumage (well developed facial disk, fully gray juvenile plumage) it have been a fledgling, and not a nestling in need of rescue. The little ones can end up roosting in some pretty inadvisable places for the first few weeks, but will remain well attended by adults during the nighttime hours. Most nests in CO (and I would likely UT, as well) should have fledged in late July – average fledge date is around the 20th; earlier in recent years, likely due to climate change. It’s a very cool species, with some unique habitat affinities and low reproductive rates that make it a great study subject – besides being extremely photogenic!

I’m sure he’ll do just fine at a rehab center (where I presume you took him) – but I thought you might like to know. Either way, it’s a rare find to stumble across a Flamm of any age, let alone a hatching year bird, without already knowing where to look.

]]> By: Alfia http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/08/12/baby-flammulated-owl/#comment-66785 Alfia Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:45:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=11626#comment-66785 I'm flammugasted. Otus flammeolus! That's adorabew! :) I’m flammugasted. Otus flammeolus! That’s adorabew! :)

]]> By: Razib Khan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/08/12/baby-flammulated-owl/#comment-66723 Razib Khan Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:38:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=11626#comment-66723 yeah, (s)he is pretty cute :-) yeah, (s)he is pretty cute :-)

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