Barking Owls are seriously spectacular birds and I was thrilled to capture this image; it’s one of my favourites.
Barking Owl
Barking Owls are in strife across Australia due to many factors including the loss of hollow bearing trees which impacts nesting sites for them and their prey. They mainly munch on smallish mammals, birds and insects. I always wish that birds didn’t eat birds but a surprising number of them do – that will be a post for another week. This owl is part of the educational program at Healesville Sanctuary, just east of Melbourne.
Barking Owls are mid-size hawk owls, they don’t have the heart-shaped faces typical of tyto owls like the Barn Owl. Barking Owls have a call that really does sound like a barking dog, ‘woof woof’ repeated incessantly, far longer than any dog could be bothered keeping up such a rhythm. They also have a wavering scream which has apparently caused concerned listeners to call the police.
My thanks to everyone for their kindness to my daughter following last week’s post. She has been diagnosed with severe pneumonia so has a long stretch ahead of her which will hopefully take the smoothest and most rapid path possible to a full recovery. I’m back in hospital myself, which is upsetting as I haven’t been able to be with her; it also means that lirralirra is missing its metadata, sorry about that.
The very best of good health to you and yours.
Happy birding, Kim
~ Thank you for visiting and commenting
~ If you would like to join subscribers who receive a weekly email letting them know that lirralirra has been updated please use the ‘subscribe’ box above right
