April 2024
Mundo Esperanza: World Hope
In celebration of Earth Day, join Mundo Esperanza: World Hope for a morning of conscious conversation designed to build awareness and create community.
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Whooo goes there?![]()
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It’s the perfect time of year to spot an owl. Wisconsin, home to 11 species of owl, has four common species that can be found year-round: the Northern Saw-whet, the Eastern Screech, the Barred Owl (pictured), and the Great Horned Owl. Most of these owls start nesting in winter or early spring, which makes this time of year a good time to hear them. They can be challenging to spot as most of them are night hunters and designed for stealth. They are known for their iconic “hoots” but each species has its unique calls, including yelps, barks, whistles, and screeches. ![]()
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Owls have many adaptations to help them locate prey in dim light. Their eyes are not true “eyeballs,” but immobile tubes providing binocular vision and boosting depth perception. To make up for these immobile eyes, owls can rotate their necks 270 degrees! Many owl species also have asymmetrical ears, located at different heights on their head, allowing them to pinpoint the location of sounds in multiple dimensions.![]()
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Other adaptations help owls catch prey. They have fringes on the tips of their flight feathers to muffle the sound as they close in. Also, their hooked beaks and sharp talons are specifically designed for gripping and tearing food. ![]()
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Owl’s are considered nest stealers because they usually take over the abandoned nests of other birds, although sometimes they will nest in tree cavities or nesting boxes. Most owls only have one brood of eggs per year, though many will have a second if the first one is lost or destroyed. The amount of eggs laid in a brood depends on the type of owl; some owls, like the Great Horned Owl, will only lay one to four, while a barn owl can lay anywhere from three to eleven eggs. ![]()
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What signs of winter do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes. ![]()
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Photo: Aldo Leopold Nature Center![]()
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#PhenologyFriday #Owls #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside
