From Center for Wildlife

We thought we could all use a little love and celebration of beauty today… Did you know that raptors like barred owls sometimes have hearts on their “skirt feathers”? Though we got snow in the Northeast and it is still very much winter, species like great horned owls and Eastern gray squirrel and soon barred owls and pileated woodpeckers will begin their courtship rituals.

In our region, barred owl pairs are known for mating for life, but they do separate during the harshest hunting season. Typically during late Nov- Feb, much of the prey in our region are hibernating or have migrated, and it is difficult for even their large 200-400 acre hunting range to support the winter diet of both members of the breeding pair. When the light extends, things begin to thaw and return from hibernation and migration, they will come back together as a pair. That’s when we have the unique opportunity to hear the unique calls of this well camouflaged species.Courtship includes the vocalizations, and also behaviors like perching next to each other and swaying or bobbing their heads together.

We have admitted over 90 barred owls since November alone, and you can see from the map on this post that major roadways that cut through habitat have a big impact on our local owls. We recommend keeping food and trash out of roadways, using alternatives to rodenticides, supporting your local land trust, and also attending your town Planning, Conservation Commission and Zoning Board meetings to understand where development is being proposed in your town to help these amazing animals that also prevent the spread of human disease by managing rodent populations.