Feeding Time

Age: 21 days old
Mass: 133 grams

George is still learning how to fly and it seems to be a matter of trial and error. Mostly error.



George is starting to pull at his food, which means that soon he'll be able to tear into his own mouse. It's a matter of practice, and of course, developing stronger muscles.




My dog is always curious and wants in on the action, but George is clearly not going to share. Go, George, GO!

Important Discovery

This is Sanders, another ambassador owl, doing her best impression of a solar panel. When relaxed and presented with a sunbeam, burrowing owls will soak up the rays by laying flat and sometimes even spreading the wings to absorb more heat.


Spotting a sunbeam in the corner of our interpretive centre, I decided to find out if George loved sunbeams as much as the next burrowing owl.

After setting George down in the middle of a hearty sunbeam, this is how he immediately reacted.



Let's take a close up.


Oh dear, I disturbed his reverie.



This deserves some video. LOOK AT HIS TINY TAIL!

I think this was an important day for George. Sunbeams are awesome.

Age: 20 days old
Mass: 126 grams

Meet George

Age: 19 days old
Mass: 123 grams

SBOIC is opening a new interpretive exhibit called "Endangered Spaces, Endangered Species" on July 11th.

Check out our new exhibit, meet some owls (including George), and learn about conservation on the prairies.

Festivities start at 1pm, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. At 2pm, we'll be joined by the hosts of Hinterland Who's Who. Guided tours, cake, and crafts will follow. See our website for more info: www.sboic.ca.

Mr. Squishy

Age: 18 days old
Mass: 117 grams

While George looks like a tennis ball with legs, I assure you that it's mostly feathers. Here, George is alseep, leaning against his plastic case, and you can see that half of him squishes right down.

Take #1. Okay, take #2. Well, fine, take #3.

Age: 17 days old
Mass: 115 grams

If it seems like I post a lot of photos of George asleep, that's because sometimes it's really hard to take a picture of him standing still.

Once he figured out how to run (and by run, I mean sprint), George has been exercising his freedom to explore and fall down.

In front of house guests, no less...

George is pretty sleepy here, napping away.


But, like the rest of us, those naps can get away from us.

Owls have seriously bendy necks - as they should, since they have 14 neck bones compared to our measly 7.

Let's take a page from CuteOverload.com and see an Extreme Close-up of this redonkulousness.

Yes, I think his beak is actually touching the ground.

****SBOIC is licensed to keep and display all their educational animals. Only qualifed individuals with proper permits are allowed to keep native species. Taking an animal from its wild home is illegal. Keep our animals wild, and leave them in their homes.

Bed Hog

Age: 16 days old
Mass: 109 grams

See what I mean? I'll never get my slippers back...



****SBOIC is licensed to keep and display all their educational animals. Only qualifed individuals with proper permits are allowed to keep native species. Taking an animal from its wild home is illegal. Keep our animals wild, and leave them in their homes.

Animal Magnetism

Nice business clothes are a magnet for owl poop. Gah!



.

Peculiar Housemates

Age: 15 days old
Mass: 101 grams

My dog is extremely disapointed that the two new puppies won't play with her. Despite offering her treasured tennis ball to George, she's still waiting for some kind of acknowledgement. Anything. Anything at all....

In the wild, there are many predators that will make a quick lunch of a burrowing owl. Great horned owls, hawks, weasels, skunks, raccoons, house cats, badgers, foxes, and even snakes are some of the animals that burrowing owls have to keep an eye out for.

Growing up with my dog, George is completely fearless. He'll run through her legs and has no problem taking a nap beside my 42 lb dog. I hope this kind of upbringing will be useful because we sometimes take the ambassador owls out to park festivals where people also walk their dogs. The dogs don't usually notice the owls, but Sanders and Trooper can spot a dog from afar and will spook easily.

****SBOIC is licensed to keep and display all their educational animals. Only qualifed individuals with proper permits are allowed to keep native species. Taking an animal from its wild home is illegal. Keep our animals wild, and leave them in their homes.


.

I didn't like them anyways....

Age: 14 days old
Mass: 94 grams

Actually, they were my favourite slippers, but I guess I'll need new ones next winter.

George is growing quickly and starting to explore his surroundings. On his travels, he found a stray slipper and made it his own.

For the next few days, I left the slipper inside his carrying case and would often find him snuggled against it, sleeping soundly.


****SBOIC is licensed to keep and display all their educational animals. Only qualifed individuals with proper permits are allowed to keep native species. Taking an animal from its wild home is illegal. Keep our animals wild, and leave them in their homes.