Date: 5/10/26 5:59 pm From: 'ronbco' via Colorado Birds <cobirds...> Subject: [cobirds] Re: ID help for owl - Larimer
Thank you. I agree and have changed my ebird checklist. Admittedly, I have
been hoping for a good look at a Barn Owl, and originally wished it so.
I've seen young GH once before when they had no flight feathers. Though the
body on this one looked a bit too fluffy, the wing feathers were fully
formed, huge, and uniform grey. That was what probably threw me off. I
suppose the awkward movement in the tree to change branches also should
have been a clue. Still learning.
On Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 8:50:16 AM UTC-6 Tony Leukering wrote:
> Ron:
>
> The bird is probably a recently fledged Great Horned Owl (like this one in
> British Columbia ( ML99368691 - Great Horned Owl - Macaulay Library
> <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/99368691>) and this one in Colorado ( ML635710085
> - Great Horned Owl - Macaulay Library
> <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/635710085>). The species begins
> sitting on eggs in winter and fledge youngsters in spring.
>
> Enjoy,
>
> Tony Leukering
> Cut Bank, MT
>
> On Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 3:33:31 PM UTC-6 ronbco wrote:
>
>> I was at Lon Hagler Res in Larimer County late in the day. There are
>> plenty of trees on the west end. An owl was in a cottonwood. I had a clear
>> view of it for a few seconds before it started awkwardly finding a
>> different perch more hidden. Generally, the only owl sp one would expect
>> here is Great Horned. But this was not that. No ear tufts, Quite a stout
>> body including neck. Wings were grey and unmarked on the top sides. They
>> were very broad and long. The bird turned and faced me once while I had
>> bins on it and the face was a disk, but not heart-shaped, with big bright
>> yellow eyes and striking coloring on the face.
>> So, wrong face and coloring for barn owl, and plus it was no where near
>> dark yet.
>> No ear tufts, so not long-eared, and more bulky than GH.
>> All I can conclude is Short-eared. But that would be pretty unusual in
>> this location?
>>
>> Thanks
>> Ron Bolton
>> Berthoud
>>
>>
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