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Who-Who's There? Owls in the City


Yesterday, my charges & I went on an "urban nature walk" in a local city park. We were looking for signs of wildlife in the heart of the city. Well, squirrels obvious. Lots of squirrels everywhere. But there were signs of other wildlife. Lots of hollows in trees, mounded heaps of earth. But it was hard to really locate these signs. But wildlife does thrive in cities. Sometimes, you just have to visit at the right time -- at night or dusk/dawn. At that very same park, I've seen 2 young raccoons. Good thing observing the botanical wildlife keep us busy. There were a variety of grasses, fungi, trees, and shrubs. We're still trying to learn all of them.

In meantime, enjoy this article about owls: Barred Owls respond well to city life. This is good news because owls are top predators. They prey on squirrels, mice, pigeons, sparrows and other small animals. Predators keep the system balanced and especially in urban environments it can be challeging to keep things in check. So look out for owls in your local park.
photo credit: www.tooter4kids.com

Keep having Urban Science Adventures!
DNLee