A group of baby barn owls in Western North Carolina are becoming an online sensation. This spring, more than 62,000 people watched and listened as the first of six barn owl eggs hatched on The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s live webcam.
International Viewership
According to Wildlife Conservation Engagement Coordinator, Austin Hill, viewers have tuned in from almost every state, as well as Canada, Switzerland, Germany, UK, France, Netherlands, Portugal, New Zealand, Italy, Estonia, Ireland, Argentina, Sweden, and Spain.
The Wildlife Resources Commission said viewership peaked on April 15, when the owlets began to hatch. Since hatching, viewers have continued to witness their journey as the parents leave the nest and bring back meals that consist of small mammals, insects, birds, and reptiles.
The drought has reduced prey for the owls, as rodents are finding it harder to find vegetation to keep them sustained. However, thousands of people watch with anticipation to see what is brought back to the nest.
The fledglings will begin leaving the barn in the next few weeks to begin hunting on their own. N.C. Wildlife said they chose a barn owl for this project because it is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) Priority and a Knowledge Gap Research Priority by the agency’s 2025 Wildlife Action Plan.
Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.
