Potted Plant Owl

[catzcan]

This is just the coolest

Africam | A Live 24x7 Interactive African Wildlife Safari

[lilythepink]

Interesting site, catz!

[mellowred]

It's amazing that owl's nest so close to humans. Almost unbelievable. And all thanks to greedy mankind again.

[TS Ron]

Wow! Thanks Catzan it is the most amazing site

[catzcan]

Wow! Thanks Catzan it is the most amazing site

I've been watching the owl and her eggs for weeks hoping to see the eggs hatching, but the a big storm, no internet for 2 days, and when I got back on the chicks were born. They are getting big now and so cute!

[TS Ron]

Catz my eldest son can not thank you enough he is crazy about animals of all kinds! The is gorgeous

[amcintyre]

I was watching a documentary on birds yesterday and bird intelligence was discussed (associative learning; the use of tools; spatial and temporal abilities etc) and strangely enough most owls fall into the lower percentile of bird intelligence. Which is pretty strange, when we associate owls with super intelligent birds.

[mellowred]

That is interesting amcintyre. Perhaps it is just their big eyes that cause us to believe they are the higher percentile.

[TS Ron]

The hearing of owls and the eyes are fantastic so why should it make use of these things.An owl can hear a mouse under snow which is pretty amazing. Any way I am not shooting anybody down. Why must everything be measured with intelligence we now testing the animal world some very bored person that can not leave nature alone.

[MrAerospace]

I think it's absolutely remarkable the way animals survive despite all odds. No matter how much (and how long) we study nature, there will always be these wonderfully inconceivable moments. All good luck to the owls!

[mellowred]

You are right Fairy. What difference does the level of "intelligence" matter. After all it will be measured against our perception of intelligence.

Cats are brilliant because they will generally not be trained to perform tricks - and they train us to bring food, heaters, warm blankets, special treats, cool shady spots for summer, hugs and kisses, etc. etc.

Dogs are clever because they perform tricks to manipulate us into doing all of the above for them too.

And we think we are the most clever species because we can fly to the moon. Haha we've been foxed.

[TS Ron]

Mellow Red remember you never own the cat. You human the slave the cat is the Master the cat shall always own the human being.Ain't it strange when someone does not like cats that cat shall insist to sit on the person's lap! As if the cat says you shall obey as to what I say here!

[MsPlod]

I was watching a documentary on birds yesterday and bird intelligence was discussed (associative learning; the use of tools; spatial and temporal abilities etc) and strangely enough most owls fall into the lower percentile of bird intelligence. Which is pretty strange, when we associate owls with super intelligent birds.

Fascinating stuff amcintyre - and the following is directed at the documentary (not at you!)
It would have made more sense to compare all nocturnal birds to get a proper assessment of "intelligence". Hunting in the dead of night as they mostly do, the use of tools is rather ineffective - unless they use torches (and batteries are so hard to come by). Also, spatial stuff is also pretty useless for night time birds - they hear a noise - they pounce. That is pretty much it!

These "studies" on animal "intelligence" blow me away sometimes. What is completely appropriate for one species can be utterly inappropriate for another - depending upon the niche or niches which they inhabit - e.g. daytime/night time/crepuscular - feeding behaviour (predator/herbivore/omnivore/scavenger etc.) - food preference (berries/ants/everything/leaves/mice etc.) and so on.

Sometimes researchers take a particular stance on something (hypothesis) and then follow it through to the SILLIEST of conclusions.

End of soap box time for the day - off to play - YAY!! hava lovely day...