Eastern Screech Owl Rotates Head And Body For 360 Degree Vision

Video of talented Mr. Owl

Male Eastern Screech Owl Under Attack by Mockingbirds is able to see 360 degrees.

Owls can rotate their head about their neck 270 degrees plus or minus a few degrees see for example my Blog from last February: 

How Owls Can Rotate Their Heads Without Injury

and the YouTube video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6p6RhPg9nY from earlier this year.While it's true owls cannot rotate their heads 36o degrees -  they can see 360 degrees and more around them without ever moving their talons or feet especially when under distress as in this demonstration. A combination of neck rotation plus leg and torso rotation results in the 360+ effective rotation of the head and resultant vision. Still a very amazing feat. Also, the last 90 degrees of head turn to the owl's right in this video is incredibly fast and violent as the owl is being mobbed by Mockingbirds. This head twist will give you a neck ache just watching it!

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Large Wild Red Rat Snake or Corn Snake - Alarm Sounded by Backyard Blue Jays

Large Wild Red Rat Snake or Corn Snake - Alarm Sounded by Backyard Blue Jays

Large Wil Red Rat Snake or Corn Snake in Florida

In this video a large Red Rat Snake nearly five feet long is discovered by Blue Jays - the security guards of the backyard - and the alarm is sounded. When you hear a bunch of Blue Jays making a ruckus in the backyard - grab your camera and head outside! Before I could get my camera set up several Blue Jays had surrounded the snake on the ground and were chastising it severely letting every creature within earshot know about this large predator.  This was still during bird nesting season the first week of May and while the Red Rat Snake mostly eats abundant lizards and small rodents they are known as great tree-climbers and will eat bird eggs and young birds in the nest. Our Screech Owl nest box is "snake proof" so that allows me to feel more charitable to the Big Ratter. It's all a balance, however, as I've seen Red Rat Snakes hanging from the talons of Red Shouldered Hawks in flight a number of times and at night the young Red Rat Snakes make up a part of the Screech Owl diet. One of the most "attractive" of U.S. snakes they are said to make good snake pets :-) . But their striking color tends to make people afraid of them - they are slow-moving, docile if left alone as the video shows and non-venomous. They are too often killed by homeowners. They are pretty much sitting ducks as the video illustrates.  They should not be killed. If you have one of these large beauties in your backyard you can have it trapped and relocated to the wild. Not sure how old this one is, but it likely took at least 4 or 5 years to reach nearly to 5 feet in length.

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Eastern Screech Owl Chased Off Of Hunting Perch by Mockingbird

Video of Mockingbird Chasing off Mrs. Screech Owl

The female Screech Owl was taking up her usual position to start hunting for the owlets at dusk, but a Mockingbird with a nest in a nearby tree took exception. Mockingbirds are fast and fearless, and while they make some of  the most beautiful calls in the bird world, when they are on the attack they have an extremely aggravating call.

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Red Shouldered Hawk Chased Out of Backyard By a Mockingbird

Young Red Shouldered Hawk Intimidated By A Mockingbird

I was treated to a rare sight the morning of March 28th when a young Red Shouldered Hawk was perched in the Chinese Tallow Tree overlooking the backyard looking to snag a bird for breakfast.  A Mockingbird who along with the Blue Jays act as the security guards of the backyard quickly spotted the inexperienced young hawk out in the open and proceeded to attack it and chase it off. This is common behavior, but not easy to catch on video. Had to act fast and shoot through the window. A raptor at rest is at a distinct disadvantage when attacked in the roosting position or even in the air, in this case the fast and nimble Mockingbird is safe when on the offensive and in close quarters. Hawks take unsuspecting prey such as Mourning Doves  where there is an open area and they have a chance to build up speed. Below are two photos of mature hawks that frequent the backyard. Blue Jays will often do a pretty good imitation of a hawk call and can be particularly nasty in small groups. 

The same fate can befall the male screech owl who is now hiding near the nest box in the daytime and going to great lengths to avoid detection least he be mobbed by the backyard guardians! Adventure is as near as the backyard!

Mature Red Shouldered Hawks Seen In the Backyard

Always a Thrill to see a Red Shouldered Hawk Take Flight!

Mockingbird Watches Approaching Florida Storm

Mockingbird  Contrasted Against Developing Storm Clouds

Big storms moved through central Florida Sunday. This Mockingbird in the backyard was high on a Loquat Tree preparing to feast on ripe fruit, but seemed to be more interested in watching the ominous clouds roll by. Mockingbirds and other birds do not sing in advance of an approaching storm. They know what to do. The difficult lighting provided an interesting contrast of bird and sky making the Mockingbird look more like a shadow-figure animation. Shooting in perfect weather and light does not always convey all the mysteries of nature. A good birder should be able to ID birds in profile!