HI!!

Grass Owl
aka Tyto longimembris

Hello everyone! First of all let me introduce myself. I am known as the Grass Owl, and unlike all my other owl buddies, I spend my life on the ground so as to avoid those high places like trees and such. The upper part of my body is dark brown spotted with bluish-grey in my wings. My tummy is a pretty creamy white with a few tan and brown spots. What sets me apart from my other relatives are my gorgeous long legs which enable me to get around just fine on the ground. When I am flying in level flight I tuck my legs under me horizontally but when I take off or land or do some of those fancy aerial maneuvers you might have seen, I lower them partially to give me that added thrust that I need. Pretty clever wouldn't you say? Also our females in the family are larger but once again no feelings of inadequcies here.

My favorite food is the rodent. Actually there are many different kinds and very tasty I might add so I don't feel the need for any other kind of prey. I catch all those little creatures while in flight and since I have such excellent eyesight I can spot them from quite a distance and zoom in on them and voila dinner is served.

Now regarding our breeding habits I will turn this over to my female counterpart as she does have a lot more to do with it then me. Well first of all I can decide to have a family at any time but I do prefer the months between March and June. I make a nest on the ground in thick patches of high blade grass. I have to keep adding grass to this as it keeps getting trampled on by my partner who pays frequent visits to me during courting. I have a couple of neat calls to get his attention and that combined with my beautiful looks he doesn't stand a chance. So in a little more then a month I present the proud father with anywhere from 3 to 8 little owlets with golden brown down later turning darker. My little babies get out early and spend the day exploring their new world and return at nite just in time for dinner.

If you're ever in Australia you might catch a glimpse of us in the tall grass and swampy country if you would choose to come here. Well some people like that sort of thing. Also some of our relatives have been seen in the Philippines, Fiji, Taiwan, southern China, India and even as far away as Africa. So we do get around.

Well glad you could drop by and learn a little more about our huge family. There are many many different kinds of us out there and you can learn all about us if you keep visiting this site. Have a good day now.

The Grass Owl

Sounds
Typical Grass Owl
Female Owl
Another Grass Owl Call

..and for more...


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