Northern spotted owl | Exotic birds

Perhaps one of your dreams is to have an owl as a pet. However, not all birds of this species can be kept in a cage. This is the case of the northern spotted owl, a bird protected by government organizations.

Of the best-known birds in the USA

It is generally known by the name of the California Owl, but it is also called the Brahmin owl. However, the name that has transcended the most of this species is that of the northern spotted owl, since it is found in North America.

It lives in the forests of the west of this continent, where it nests in tree holes or crevices. He generally looks for old raptor nests, in which he can be safe.

Could you easily recognize it?

It is a large bird, as it can reach 43 cm. It does not present sexual dimorphism that can help differentiate the male from the female, although it seems that this is a little larger than the male.

The reason it is called “stained ” is that it has various shades of light and dark brown, interlaced, with areas of white and cream, which gives it an amazing appearance. It also has white spots around its eyes, which give it a distinctive look. Large brown eyes, unlike the yellow color that other species have.

It has three subspecies:

Strix occidentalis occidentalis: The nominal species
Western Strix caurina: It is better known by the name of the northern spotted owl, and it lives almost on the border between the USA and Canada.
Strix occidentalis lucida: It receives the name of the Mexican spotted owl, and lives on the border between Mexico and the USA, also having cases of specimens in the Mexican country.

A protected species?

The specimens of this species are classified as endangered birds and are under the protection of the “Endangered Species Act” of the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is a species that is rapidly declining its population, almost 7% for each year. In British Columbia, only about 30 breeding pairs remain. According to specialists, in the next few years, this species could become extinct in Canada.

As far as their behavior is concerned, they are a very dedicated species to their environment, and they are very loyal when it comes to establishing their home. They are very aggressive to defend it, so they can attack both possible human and animal invaders. They do not migrate during the winter months and do not tend to stray far from their nest to search for food.

He is an excellent hunter, which helps him to hunt everything from small rodents to reptiles, flying insects, and some squirrels. It is also possible that they can eat small birds and some young of these. They need a lot of food every day, but due to their increasingly reduced habitat, it is difficult for them to find food.

Its flight pattern turns out to be very unique since the movement of its wings is fast to gain speed. However, when they go hunting their prey, they slide down to the right, on top of their prey.

After mating, which takes place between February and March, it usually lays the eggs in June, which can be up to 3. The eggs take 30 days to hatch, at which point the male begins to go out looking for food to feed his family until their young are old enough to fend for themselves.