photo by Greg Hofmann

04/28/03: No, this Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is not wearing a white shawl. The downy feathers on its breast, back, and head are called "mesoptile plumage," the second downy stage in its maturation cycle. Soon this juvenile bird will finish molting into its adult plumage. When it is fully fledged, and after a few more weeks of dependance on its parents, it will leave the nest and find its own hunting grounds. This owl is part of a family living in the small barn below the overlook on the Reserve. The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed of all owl species.