Whatever

PM sent, that's what you'll wish you could unsee

 

Reported.

 

See yawl in 30

 

Ok!!

 

Random. Don’t see many helicopters fly over here.

 

Ohh my!!!

 

I've tried looking up a few birds, but I've got no clue what this is from. Any guess?

@Taco-Obsessed

 

Bird is the word.

Wipeout.

 

Contour (body, not flight) feather of a barn owl

 

Figures. That was my first guess but when I looked up their feathers I thought there was no way this could be one. The fluff was throwing it off.

 

Fluff is what got me right to owl (body feather). Owls have only 2-degrees of branching in their feathers, versus all other birds with 3-degrees. That is why owls are silent or much quieter in flight. Trade offs with it being less aerodynamic, but benefit is increased predation success.

My guess from how fluffy it is, is that it is a first year bird still molting out its natal plumage.

 

Beat me to it

 

Most feather guides focus on flight feathers, so blame those fucks!

 

Agreed. I should have added fledgling or something to my search but I didn't think it would make that much of a difference when searching specific bird species feathers.

I still have yet to actually see one, but we've got a few nested in our trees.

 

I think it is one of the belly/breast feathers a layer down or so. Only the banded part barely showing. If you hear screeching that is the barn owls.


Screech owls don't screech. Whoever named them was dumb. Cool thing is you get both western and eastern screech in monfuckingtana. Something like 15 species can be found there, some rarely, but do occur. You got it made.

 

Barn owls are cavity nesters. They'll also use cavity like structures (i.e. between girder stiffeners on bridges, etc). I've seen photos you posted, so doubt they're are big cavities in those trees, and they are just roosting. Hopefully you do got a cavity and nest site though.