This is the sound that woke me up last night

[catjac1975]

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/view_default.asp?sortBy=has+audio&viewType=list&curFamilyID=203

Outside of my window this loud call woke me up. It is the call of a barn owl. I have heard it in the distance before but this one was so close, I could never until now, figure out what it is. I wish I had that night camera now. Of all nights we got home late from a concert and I had forgotten to lock up my chickens. I turned on all the outside lights and went with a flashlight to do what I had neglected to do. Thank God they were all fine! Just now I was out side around 7:45 PM and I saw a large, light colored, winged flash over the chicken coop. The birds went nuts!
40-50 hens and roosters hiding and making their noises all at once. A chicken cacophony! I will not neglect them again.

 

[digitS']

Close, Cat'.

I had a family (momma and 2 babies) living within view of the big veggie garden a few years ago. They were in the rafters of the neighbor's hay barn.

I was hoping that they would slow the cottontail rabbits down. Not much - rabbits during the day, owls mostly at night. I found only 1 rabbit skin in that barn but quite a few mouse skeletons (owl "pellets") and lots of collared dove remains. Obviously, they liked to eat birds.

Steve

 

[PhilaGardener]

Cat, that is a great bird for your part of the country! There is a small community of Barn Owls out on the Vineyard, but they have a tough time in snowy winters. Protect your chickens, but this is a very rare bird that deserves our understanding and appreciation.

 

[catjac1975]

I do not want it to hurt my chickens but, I also would love to see it. I would never harm it. I am only guessing by the way from the sounds I found online. I am bringing my cell phone to bed with me to try to catch the sound tonight.

 

[baymule]

Way cool! That screeching sound sure could give you the heebee jeebies if you were out in the woods at night and didn't know what it was!

 

[AMKuska]

I almost lost my dog to a "Great Grey Owl" just a couple of months ago. He was trotting in from going potty and this HUGE owl with HUGE wings and HUGE feet glided down. He never saw it coming. The wings of this bird wrapped around my dog (who is not small for a chihuahua) couldn't see him for a moment, figured he was dead. Screamed, jumped up and down, ran at the bird, and it startled and flew away. Not a lick of damage done to the dog, but I make sure all my animals are secure at night, and no late night potty runs!

 

[thistlebloom]

Wow, that would get your adrenalin pumping! Glad your birds were safe.

 

[canesisters]

I often hear a sound similar to that in the woods. I figured it was 'some sort of critter' but didn't consider that it might be an owl. COOL!!! Take care of your owl.
I wonder - is there anything that can be done to make it's life a little easier?? You know ... we put out feeders and houses for song birds, plant things for feed and shelter butterflies and hummingbirds ... I dump scraps in the FAR corner of the pasture for the crows (they keep the hawks away).

 

[catjac1975]

I think mice, and bunnies are to their liking. I have had a lot of bunnies this year. Perhaps that is why he was here.

 

[journey11]

What a hideous sound. I'm glad he announced his presence before he found your chickens!

@AMKuska , owls' wings are designed to swoop down silently so they can ambush their prey. You certainly wouldn't have heard it coming. So glad your doggie got out of that ordeal unscathed.