Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Photo & Video => Topic started by: DOUBLELUNG on January 16, 2011, 01:37:02 PM

Title: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on January 16, 2011, 01:37:02 PM: These are a few years old. A concerned Entiat valley resident found this guy starved with a broken wing. I fed him, took a few photos, and took him to a licensed rehabber in Wenatchee. He was successfully rehabbed and released back up the Entiat.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: Axle on January 16, 2011, 01:41:01 PM: So cool!
A few years ago, I was up on Taylor Mt. and saw a very small owl with a fresh kill. It had a Robin and I was able to walk right up to it. I didn't know what kind of owl it was so I started a search. I called a buddy in Oregon and he said it was probably a screech owl but now that I see these pics, I'm thinking it was one of these pygmies. It was smaller than the Robin.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: agchawk on January 16, 2011, 01:41:35 PM: What a beautiful little bugger!!!
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 16, 2011, 01:44:44 PM: :EAT: :chuckle: :chuckle:great pictures.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: Kain on January 16, 2011, 01:46:36 PM: Neat! My dad and I saw one that small in Yacolt. Let us walk right up to it. It was very curious and not afraid. It only flew away after I was going for my camera. :bash:
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on January 16, 2011, 01:47:45 PM: Good story. We have them on our property near Mossyrock, cool buggers.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on January 16, 2011, 07:58:20 PM: Thanks all. Axle, it sure could have been - these guys are the weasels of the bird world, they define *censored*. A screech is a little bigger than a robin, these guys are smaller, and saw whets usually go for the smaller birds.

Even though he was starving and busted, this guy popped his beak at me and threatened every way he could think of, until I put a bit of pork loin on a toothpick in his mouth - about thirty morsels later, we were best buds, he hopped from my hand up my arm to my shoulder, and went to sleep. Pretty much said, well, if you ain't gonna fight me, I'm tired and full. Absolutely fearless.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: Axle on January 16, 2011, 08:05:16 PM: Very cool Doublelung!
I have a friend who got to play with a large owl years ago. It was injured and on the side of the road. His relatives picked it up, brought it back to health and kept it in their motorhome. The owl was rather brilliant and knew what to do when they told it something (like - pick up your toys, it's time to hit the road). That owl tamed real easy too.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: boneaddict on January 16, 2011, 08:13:42 PM: AWESOME little snapper. Shes brave holding him bare fingered. :chuckle:

I've seen a couple. Always in the thickest fir thickets on the planet, always about 4-6 feet in the air roosting. I'm usually standing next to them and staring at them at less than a foot or two and then my eyes focus. :) WHOA
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: Idabooner on January 17, 2011, 08:31:38 AM: Nice pictures, love those guys. When I was a kid we had one that stayed in the wood shed in the fall and all winter, some time after the snow was deep there was 5 babies, they stayed until spring. Cutest little guys you ever seen, they were almost tame, they must have lived on mice. The next fall one was back and stayed most of the winter, then one morning it was just laying there dead, must have starved.
A couple years ago there was one in my shade tree in late fall but it only stayed about a week.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: Gopher on January 17, 2011, 09:52:30 AM: If you could see the back of his head, you'd see that he has "fake eyes" there. Helps to keep him from becoming lunch himself.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on January 17, 2011, 11:35:21 AM: COOL! :)

Love those little owls! I was thinking she was brave to have him on an ungloved hand too!
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: ser300wsm on January 17, 2011, 03:47:28 PM: WOW, that is so cool, im glad you were able to help him out... Love owls, great pics .... :rockin:
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: halflife65 on January 17, 2011, 03:56:26 PM: Cool - I love those little things.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: dscubame on January 18, 2011, 01:58:44 PM: That's neat. My hunting partner and I ran into one of those many years ago and we always wondered what it was and now I know. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: elkslare on January 18, 2011, 02:27:05 PM: Great pictures are these owls found state wide or just on the east side? I have never seen one before. Great looking critter
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on January 18, 2011, 02:51:01 PM: Quote from: elkslare on January 18, 2011, 02:27:05 PM
Great pictures are these owls found state wide or just on the east side? I have never seen one before. Great looking critter
They are most common along the forest edge of the east Cascades, but occur statewide. I've seen one in Stevens Co. in November, most commonly in the winter where brushy draws meet the forest edge - I see them when I'm quail hunting more than any other time.
Title: Re: Northern pygmy owl
Post by: GoldTip on January 18, 2011, 02:54:17 PM: I got one looks a lot like that little bugger living in my neighborhood in the Spokane Valley, I'd say it's about half again bigger than that one, that looks no more than 6" tall, I'd say the one I've seen mulitple times around the house is closer to 8-9". Very cool pics right there.