From the RaptorCAM of course.

As big and strong as these 2 have gotten, they still sleep baby owl style, all flopped over with legs straight out back. As adults they will be strong enough to support their full weight on their legs and will sleep sitting up.

But for now, they’re still just big adorable babies! 🥰🥰

*That bit of weird artifact behind their tails is where I did a quick blur of some unfortunate but nutritious little critter. Magic Eraser kept trying to fill in the wing pattern instead of the nest pattern, hence the ugliness of that spot, but it’s prettier than what was there! *

  • anon6789OP
    6•8 months ago

    Even this far along they’re still growing at about 1.5% they’re mass a day. They reach full size in about 6 or 7 weeks while we get about 16 years to do it. That’s got to be tiring!

    Great Horned Owls gain weight rapidly from a mean of just over an ounce (34.7 grams) at birth to 2.2 pounds (1,000 grams) at 25 days old for females, 1.7 pounds (800 grams) at 29 days old for males. During the first 4 weeks after hatching, one study found 3 young gained an average of over an ounce (33.3 grams) per day. From 29 days to fledging, the young gained an average of just under half and ounce (12.7 grams) per day, 1.6 percent of body mass. The juveniles left the nest at approximately 75 percent of adult mass…

    Great write up on owl babies here for anyone wanting to read more about the process!