Barn owls Gylfie & Dryer have 5 eggs of their second clutch of the 12 months. Watch as three chicks hatch out and a brand new barn owl household is made.
Barn owl chicks start to hatch
Because the male Dryer delivers a vole, he hears the sound of chicks calling from contained in the eggs. The hatching course of is starting. The following morning Gylfie begins to tear up previous barn owl pellets to make a mushy touchdown for her chicks. It is a widespread behaviour earlier than barn owl chicks hatch. Then as this pair depart the nest for a break, the ‘pipping’, or cracking, egg is seen.
New barn owl dad is besotted
Dryer is not conscious a chick has hatched till Gylfie leaves the nest for a second time and as he friends down he appears to be like infatuated. He even seems to lookup on the digicam, as if to examine if we have noticed it too! However then the pair hear jackdaws and rush to the doorway to defend the nest. As they accomplish that, Gylfie accidently knocks the chick throughout the nest! Brooding barn owl chicks Gylfie returns inside and tucks the chick safely again below her. She is definitely very cautious round her chicks and eggs and spends a while rigorously rearranging.
Second chick is late
The common incubation time for this pair is 31 days and chicks usually hatch each 2-3 days, however it’s 5 days till a second chick hatches. Gylfie removes the egg shell from beneath her, providing an opportunity to view each chicks collectively. It’s candy to observe Dryer turn into chief ‘child’-sitter, in command of watching over the chicks each time Gylfie leaves the nest. It’s an extra 4 days earlier than the third chick hatches, and though I’ll by no means be 100% sure, the dates of hatching match these predicted for eggs one, three and 5. No extra chicks Though 5 eggs have been laid, solely three have hatched and despite the fact that Gylfie continues to incubate, I feel this household is now full.
