Any owl experts out there?

[floraphile]

Baldwin co. AL Sept 2021

Hi, All.  

We have had resident Barred Owls for the 20+ years we have lived in our suburban neighborhood.  They call frequently (and raucously)  at night and commonly in the daytime, also, and it is not unusual for them to fly through or perch for a time in the yard.  My question:   Other than mating season & contact calls between mates/family members, at what other times would a Barred Owl hoot?   I ask, because a couple of days ago, in the late afternoon (still full daylight), a lone Barred was hooting from fairly low in a tree, then dropped to the ground behind some shrubbery, then flew back into the canopy to a different perch.  It looked as though he/she were taking prey, but I thought it odd the owl would call attention to itself with hooting if that were the case.  There was no reply from any other owl that I could hear.  Thoughts?

 

[Quiscalus quiscula]

Maybe it was a young 'un who didn't know how to hunt. I'm certainly not an expert.

[floraphile]

6 hours ago, Quiscalus quiscula said:

Maybe it was a young 'un who didn't know how to hunt. I'm certainly not an expert.

Maybe calling to mom or dad--"Hey, look what I did!"

[Bird Brain]

Or maybe one of the parents had caught some prey and was calling for the young'uns to come and get it.

[Avery]

I've heard Barred's calling in broad daylight before, but I'm not sure the reason for it.