Last night I walked out my front door in Old Jefferson at a few minutes before 10 PM on a late grocery run, and before I could open the car door heard the resonant hooting of a Great Horned Owl just across the street.
Four rapid breathy hoots followed by two more spaced out.
I have only heard Great Horned hooting in urban residential New Orleans a handful of times previously. Closest woods are about 0.4 miles away in the batture. This species is scattered through the metro area, but they have always seemed to me to be less vocal here than in "the country."
This bird was a tad higher pitched than I am used to, so I actually was able to do a decent (to my ears) imitation back at it. I have been practicing Barred and Screech imitations since I was a pre-teen, but have always given up on Great Horned because I couldn't get my hoots low enough. This one was within my range, or nearly so, suggesting it was a male (higher pitch than female).
It seemed to pause in response to my hooting, so I gave up and started back into my car- only to have it hoot again. So I hooted back, and it flew over my car, underside visible in the adjacent streetlight. Looked on the small side (at least, for a Great Horned)- cementing my impression it was a male (males are generally smaller in birds of prey than females- reverse sexual size dimorphism!).
I drove off on my milk run, decidedly happier than when I walked out the door.
No comments:
Post a Comment