George says....

George says to visit our website! http://www.sboic.ca/



There is lots of information about burrowing owls, our Owls On Tour program, and our Adopt An Owl fundraiser.

WARNING: Not for the faint of heart!

Ever wonder how owls eat mice?

Burrowing owls are quite small compared to their prey, so they rip their mice apart with their sharp beak and talons. Eating it bite by bite, it takes a few minutes to devour a mouse.

A short-eared owl, on the other hand, can wolf down a mouse in seconds. Behold! Shorty lunching on a mouse!

The Stink Eye

Age: 39 days old

This is what people mean by stink eye. No one does it better than owls...

VIP Accommodations

Age: 33 days old

Since George is an ambassador owl, his job is to travel around Saskatchewan helping us teach people about burrowing owl and prairie conservation.

To carry him safely between buildings and vehicles, he has a cool carrying case. With a soft fleece cover, George can often be found snoozing on top (the penthouse) or in front (the patio).

George's vision is still developing, so he often bobs or turns his head for better perception. While owls never grow out of this, they bob a lot more as owlets.

Last note, I swear. This last photo gives a good view of George's jesses (those leather bits on his legs). These soft leather jesses are for when George is "working" because a short leash is clipped into the ends. This prevents him from flying away and injuring himself if he gets spooked. When not working and putzing around the office or his enclosure, George is not leashed.

Modern Art

A slightly older photo of Shorty, where he/she still has some fluff.

Top Heavy

Age: 8 days old flashback

I can't help but flip through old photos of George. And he's only a few months old too, what will I do when he's a year old?

One thing I've noticed is that George was a very top heavy youngster. I think he's either fallen asleep and toppled over. Or he's toppled over and fallen asleep. Hard to tell....

Life is good

Age: 28 days old
Mass: 146 grams

Don't you wish your job included sleeping in a sunbeam?

As a resident ambassador owl, George's job is pretty cushy. His day includes eating some mice, meeting some people, sleeping in sunbeams, and occasionally helping out in our gift store.

Okay, he does a lot more than that. George isn't even a month old and he has already met over 2,500 people! Between attending local festivals, delivering outreach programs, and wowing visitors, George has certainly earned his nap.

Goggly Eyes

Did you know that most birds have three eyelids?

The third eyelid is called a nictitating membrane and it helps protect and moisten the eye. And it's SEE THROUGH! So birds can keep flying, swimming, or even stay on the lookout while blinking. It's like having a built in pair of goggles.

What a cool photo, thanks Laurie!

People to see, places to be

Age: 27 days old
Mass: Too heavy to post.

I've been trying to take video of George running, it's a must see.

Did someone say mouse?

Age: 26 days old
Mass: 139 grams

George's weight gain has finally started to slow down! Down from six feedings a day to three feedings, George is eating about 1.5 mouse (mice?) a day. While George doesn't answer to his name, he comes running when his food bin comes out.