Pulsatrix
perspicillata
Moccadoo,
still only a youngster, hatched April 2009, and true to form is
developing slowly.......ever so slowly. He arrived flatpacked
and still spends much of his time flatpack waiting for life to
pass him by. At about 8 weeks he has left his box, and has managed
to climb to the top of the tree trunk in his aviary. Named after
his adult colouring of dark brown, and mocca coffee, but tagged
with the 'dodo' suffix, as he reminds us so much of one.
Spectacled
Owls are found from Mexico, Central America, and the northern
two-thirds of South America, mainly in dense tropical rainforest,
and forest edges, but also dry forest and savannahs.
This
is an unsociable bird, being generally nocturnal, with activity
normally begining after dusk and continuing to dawn, and roosting
singly by day in the high canopy of forest trees with dense foliage.
Spectacled
Owls eat small mammals including mice, insects, spiders, many
caterpillars, bats, birds, crabs and frogs. They use a branch
to perch on and scan the surrounding area, dropping with a swift
pounce onto their prey. It could be that the majority of the prey
is taken in the high canopy, seldom coming down to the ground,
where they would be so vulnerable.
Spectacled
Owls nest in tree hollows and lay 1-2 eggs, which are incubated
by the female for about 5 weeks. Chicks leave the nest for surrounding
branches at about 5-6 weeks, well before they can fly, but depend
on their parents for up to a year once fledged. Often, only one
chick will survive. They are very slow developers, and the young
may take several years to reach adult plumage.
We
thoroughly enjoy flying this unusual bird with his forest mate,
Mottley, and hope that you too will enjoy our Rainforest Owls
being flown in the barn through the season.
