Hi Marv,
Its a lucky day whenever we get to witness owls and their behavior. That
was a "concealing" behavior. All Owls try to break up the "typical owl
shape" when the perceive threat. For nearly all species this involves just
what you describe. I have seen this with Elf Owls, Saw-whets, Boreals,
Long-eared, Short-eared, Screech Owls, Snowy Owls, and both Northern and
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls and even the Northern Hawk Owls. Owls with
"ear-tufts" also involve their tufts. Owls considered "earless/tuftless"
such as Pygmy-Owls and Snowy Owls sometimes even manage to show residual
tufts. I have seen this behavior in response to potential predators such
as Eagles, Hawks and larger owls.
Some examples:
Snowy Owl Concealment/Cryptic
https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=279&_bqH=eJwzCHTTdczyja_MCwtKNq0syA12Co8wNDJ09PK0MjEyMbYyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybkVierZ1fnqNq5KydXFRZUJKZrOYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJZ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAp8EgWg--&GI_ID=
Northern Hawk Owl
https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=275&_bqH=eJwzCHTTdczyja_MCwtKNq0syA12Co8wNDJ09PK0MjEyMbYyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybkVierZ1fnqNq5KydXFRZUJKZrOYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJZ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAp8EgWg--&GI_ID=
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=143&_bqH=eJxzcw4pDYtIKcyy9PfzLg5KS0rOTQ8I8gz39vS0MrUwsjI0MABhIOkZ7xLsbFtQmZ5bqWrkrJ1cVFlQkpms5hkfGuwaFO_pYhsKUlbha.iZ65fumBLlqRbv6BxiW5yaWJScAQB6UiAJ&GI_ID=
Short-eared Owl:
https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=275&_bqH=eJwzCHTTdczyja_MCwtKNq0syA12Co8wNDJ09PK0MjEyMbYyNDAAYSDpGe8S7GybkVierZ1fnqNq5KydXFRZUJKZrOYZHxrsGhTv6WIbClJZ4WvomeuX7pgS5akW7.gcYlucmliUnAEAp8EgWg--&GI_ID=
Northern Pygmy-Owl
https://paulbannick.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=179&_bqH=eJxzcw4pDYtIKcyy9PfzLg5KS0rOTQ8I8gz39vS0MrUwsjI0MABhIOkZ7xLsbFtQmZ5bqWrkrJ1cVFlQkpms5hkfGuwaFO_pYhsKUlbha.iZ65fumBLlqRbv6BxiW5yaWJScAQB6UiAJ&GI_ID=
Paul
On Sun, Feb 11, 2018 at 2:09 PM, Marv Breece <
marvbreece at q.com> wrote:
>
Yesterday (2.10.18) there was a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at the end of 220th St
>
NE in Snohomish County. This is accessed off of 7th Ave NE off of
>
Pioneer Hwy E, a short distance west of I5. (SE of Silvana)
>
>
>
As I watched this bird it stood straight up and shrunk its body to *a
>
diameter much smaller than its unshrunken head*. The size of the
>
shrunken body was a fraction of normal. The bird looked very odd! The
>
process took but a few seconds, after which the bird immediately returned
>
to normal dimensions. The bird remained perched in the same place for
>
several minutes after the "shrinking". Unfortunately, I was not filming at
>
the time. Whether this was concealing or revealing behavior, I cannot
>
say. I was quite distant from the bird. There could easily have been
>
another bird which posed a threat that I did not see.
>
>
>
If anyone reading this has had a similar experience with a Pygmy-Owl I
>
would appreciate hearing about it.
>
>
>
Photos at: http://www.pbase.com/marvbreece/new_images
>
>
Videos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/138163614 at N02/
>
>
>
Marv Breece
>
Tukwila, WA
>
marvbreece at q.com
>
>
Concepts shape our world.
>
Concepts are not hard wired.
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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>
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>
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>
>
--
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206-940-7835
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