Owl Receives Glowing Review

a year ago by anon6789 to c/superbowl

From Scottish Owl Centre

The keepers took some interesting photos this week. A black light torch can show new feather growth in owls, as seen in this 4 year old female Barred Owl, Strix varia.

Porphyrin pigment reflects the UV light as a pink/purple colour, but it fades in sunlight, so older feathers show up darker with age. You can see this owl has replaced several primary and secondary feathers on her wings, front and legs this year.

The best time for an owl to moult is late summer for breeding birds, as the owlets become independent and hunting is easiest with prey abundant. (Don't worry, the owl was just getting a check up before returning to an aviary).

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JubJubBird 12 points a year ago

Apparently owls can actually see UV light (source). So it seems possible to me that they benefit from being able to see how old other owls feathers are. Maybe to judge their health or something?

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anon6789 9 points a year ago

Looking at this video from Veritasium, he looks at different things through cameras with UV pads filters and UV lights. The light makes things look intense like in the owl photos, but the filter/camera, things are distinctly different, but not as Batman and Robin neon than the UV lightbulb.

The video also mentions spotting polar bears and Arctic foxes with help of UV, and I found and article about that here too.

Cool stuff!

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If you find an injured owl:

Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.

Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.

Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.

If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.

For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.

Community Rules:

Posts must be about owls. Especially appreciated are photographs (not AI) and scientific content, but artwork, articles, news stories, personal experiences and more are welcome too.

Be kind. If a post or comment bothers you, or strikes you as offensive in any way, please report it and moderators will take appropriate action.

AI is discouraged. If you feel strongly that the community would benefit from a post that involves AI you may submit it, but it might be removed if the moderators feel that it is low-effort or irrelevant.

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superbowl

@lemmy.world

login for more options

For owls that are superb.

Please scroll down to read our community rules.

US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now

International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com

Australia Rescue Help: WIRES

Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org

If you find an injured owl:

Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.

Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.

Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.

If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.

For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.

Community Rules:

Posts must be about owls. Especially appreciated are photographs (not AI) and scientific content, but artwork, articles, news stories, personal experiences and more are welcome too.

Be kind. If a post or comment bothers you, or strikes you as offensive in any way, please report it and moderators will take appropriate action.

AI is discouraged. If you feel strongly that the community would benefit from a post that involves AI you may submit it, but it might be removed if the moderators feel that it is low-effort or irrelevant.

Also visit our twinned community for wholesome content:

!wholesome@reddthat.com

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