Barn Owl Live Stream FAQs

Why are they moving their mouth like that?

Barn owls pant when they are hot. In the summertime when the boxes heat up, they will pant to keep themselves cool.

Why is it so noisy in the background? Doesn’t it bother the owls?

Owls choose where to nest. The location of this particular box is noisy, and the owls have chosen to nest there anyway.

Where are these owls located?

The box you are watching is located in South Surrey, British Columbia on the West Coast of Canada. The Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland are the main agricultural areas in British Columbia, and so barn owls are predominately found here.

What is that “fluff” on the bottom of the nest?

Because they swallow their pray whole, barn owls cough up pellets instead of passing that material (skin, bones, etc.) through their digestive tracts. The “fluff” you are seeing in the owl box is a combination of down and pellets, which the female makes a simple nest out of.

There are bugs in the nest! Is the nest infested?

Don’t forget, these are wild birds. Bugs are part of nature, and the owls are used to having small bugs share their home.

Where are Mom and Dad?

If not in the nest, the mother and father are likely out hunting. Owlets eat a lot of food, and they both need to hunt to keep their young well fed.

Will the same barn owls come back to the same box year after year?

Yes, once barn owls have a territory, they tend to use the same nest site the next year.

How can you tell the female from the male?

 In general, the female is larger than the male and has a heavily spotted chest. She will also have more colour on her head and body, while the male is much more white and pale.

How do they get water?

 Owls actually get most of the water they need from eating their prey. They are not usually spotted drinking water in the wild.