126
submitted 11 hours ago by anon6789@lemmy.world to c/superbowl@lemmy.world

From Dane D Ward

Female Eastern screech owl pulling up her pant legs to check out her fuzzy little raptor legs. **I know its a female because the babies got too big inside the nesting cavity so she perched outside of it just a few feet away. 20 feet away from her was the even smaller male.

*She's actually biting at the brood patch. But it looks like shes pulling pant legs up...I dunno. That's how I see it.

My yard
Dunnellon, Florida

top 5 comments
sorted by: hot top new old
[-] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago
[-] anon6789@lemmy.world 9 points 9 hours ago

Oh yeah! I should probably give a refresher on brood patches...

So, where her face is, you can see a bit of a bald patch on her belly. When it's egg laying time, momma birds will pluck this area, and the skin will get a bit slack. By clearing out those feathers and that fleshy spot getting a bit more supple, she will get better body heat transfer to the eggs and then to the hatchlings before their down grows in.

Here's a clearer view of a brood patch on a Little Owl.

[-] Zephorah@discuss.online 7 points 9 hours ago

It’s like this owl is lifting her petticoat and checking out the pantaloons or bloomers or whatever they were called back in the day.

[-] You@feddit.org 4 points 6 hours ago

And then throw your legs in the air and do a cancan.

[-] anon6789@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago

My thoughts exactly!

this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2026
126 points (100.0% liked)

Superbowl

6528 readers
279 users here now

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

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS