The Burrowing Owl looks wise. This one decided to live next to a baseball field in a public park. Maybe that’s a good place to catch insects at night. OTOH, the park people had to put a fence around the burrow to protect the wise owl from lawn mowers and other hazards of nature. Is the owl clever because it got the humans to work for it or is it a bird brain? You decide.
One good thing about the owl’s decision to live next to a ball field is that it is really easy to photograph the owl if you come by at, say, noon and the owl is dumb or wise enough, depending on how you look at it, to stand around near the entrance to its burrow and stare up at you. Is it smiling or frowning? Who the hell knows. But we can have a clear conscience because by publicizing its plight we help raise awareness about the baseball menace to the world’s owl population.
I think owls are very intelligent.
Many years ago, I lived across from a large empty field.
I had a German Shepard.
An owl lived in the field and whenever the Shepard came over, Mr Owl would fly about 6′ off the ground – and slow enough that the dog would leap at him but never get him. The owl would just sail above him – not too hast and not to slow – just staying with the dog.
I suspect the owl was laughing, however owls laugh.
This little show wen on for a couple of years.
Bill (incognito)
More like mice than insects.
Standing in the grass at noon the owl probably doesn’t’ see you at all, just a mass of shadow…does anybody else besides me think she resembles Madeleine Albright?
We have several species of owls that live in our neighborhood—the rodent populations is controlled nicely.
Incredible eyesight….small lizards spotted a mile away (or some such thing).
A few years ago, a young man was in a LaCrosse Wisconsin court. The charge? He shot a bald eagle.
The elderly judge asked the young man if he was guilty, or not guilty of the charge.
The young man looked at the judge and said honestly, “your honor, I did shoot that eagle, so I am guilty.”
They judge explained that the American bald eagle is a symbol of our great nation and protected by federal law, so this was a very serious crime. He then asked why the young man shot the eagle.
The young man looked at him and after a long pause looked downward and said, “I just wanted to find out how it tasted”.
Very puzzled the judge asked, “so tell me son, just what did that eagle taste like?”
The young man looked up at the judge, smiled and said, “kinda like owl.”
Gerry – Spotted Owl!
Bill (incognito)