Is this because of all the rains inland, prey explosion, subsequent multiple nesting by Barn Owls and now the irruption of young birds?
Cheers,
Graham Buchan ===============================
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Hi Alan
My knowledge of raptors is limited to how to pick them up without further damaging them or me.
From that very limited knowledge base, the feet are the killing bits. The beak is for dismembering the prey?
If that’s the case then I can’t see that a young bird wouldn’t adapt to a crossed beak without any problems and have as good a chance as any other young barn owl.
Hopefully some one more appropriately qualified will give you their view.
Cheers
Storm
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Storm, I have noticed that the top bill of the young barn owl in my garden is not straight. The bills do not seem to match at any visible point. Do you, or anyone else, care to comment on the likelihood of its being able to feed itself. Regards, Alan
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To add to the information about Barn Owls, in Sydney I picked one up on Sunday. I passed it to our raptor co-ordinator.
It was the fourth barn owl come in to care on Sunday and was following 20+ other barn owls in recent weeks.
Storm
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I flushed an Eastern Barn Owl from a partly eaten dead Black Rat on Susan Island, Grafton on September 5. It was during daylight hours (morning) and the owl took refuge in a River Oak where I photographed it later. This is only the third record for the Island the other two being in 1986 and 1998. The species is relatively common locally with an apparent influx, based on the number of roadkills, in the autumn-winter.
The possible Masked Owl at the Sturt Highway Wagga Wagga was an Eastern Barn Owl. I have seen the photos.
Greg Dr Greg. P. Clancy Ecologist and Wildlife Guide Coutts Crossing NSW http://www.birdrangers.com