Surprising detail emerges as live ‘Owl Cam’ records nest in North Carolina barn
A live feed set up to spy on owls in western North Carolina has revealed something surprising about their family dynamics, according to biologists with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
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Tens of thousands of people have watched the antics of the four owlets, and one thing they haven’t witnessed is a nasty fight. To view the live “Owl Cam” feed, click here.
Unlike human siblings, barn owls apparently don’t bicker over such things as sharing, Conservation Biologist Joe Tomcho told The Charlotte Observer.
“I was fascinated by the amount of time the siblings (groomed) each other and ‘got along’ with each other. I thought there would be much more aggressive behavior,” he said in an email.
“My observation stems from watching other raptor cams from eagles, osprey, and red tail hawks where there can be quite a bit of aggressive behavior amongst the siblings in the nest, asserting dominance and competing for food. It can get down right nasty at times and can lead to siblicide or death of a sibling.”
It’s a survival strategy that parents in other bird species tolerate with occasionally grisly results.
“Parents that observe this behavior usually don’t intervene, allowing it to happen and will then feed the deceased body to the other siblings to reduce competition,” Tomcho said. “Nature is very fascinating with all the different survival strategies to ensure that the parents genes get passed on to the next generation.”
Data shows the “Owl Cam” has been watched by people across the world, including Europe and South America, state officials said.
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It marks the first time the commission has offered a live feed program, with three cameras set up for angles inside and outside the nest.
Viewership has exceeded expectations, with 62,000 tuning in to watch the eggs hatch in April, officials said.
The female laid six eggs. One never hatched, and another hatchling died May 27, due combination of factors that may be partly related to the ongoing drought, officials said.
The young owls may start leaving the barn as early as July. The nest location has not been revealed, but is considered remote, officials said.
“Barn owls disperse singly in random directions in short moves, staying for a period before moving again in search of a territory. They could ultimately disperse hundreds of miles,” the commission says.
“Once the owls have left the nest, staff will take the camera down for about a month, clean the nest box, make any needed repairs and check all the cameras and wiring. NCWRC will run the ‘Owl Cam’ again next season and hope the same pair return.”
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