It is interesting that they are taking over a nest now. Great horned owls 
often have nestlings by now that would fledge next month. At Blackwater some 
years ago I had a photography class photographing a great horned owl and 
nestlings. They were in an eagles nest the owls had taken over.

Cortez
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob Gibbs" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 1:45 PM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Great Horned Owl nest


>I agree with Bonnie's assessment.   Great Horned Owls do not make a nest of 
>their own and therefore always usurp the nest of another bird, often a 
>red-tailed hawk since they pretty much share the same habitat.  It is my 
>understanding and experience that they generally use a red-tail's nest from 
>the previous year and since they nest so early, likely take it over with 
>little resistance from the hawk.  But if push comes to shove between the 
>two, my money would be on the owl.
>
> Rob Gibbs
> Damascus, MD
>
> Michael Bowen wrote:
>
>> In Kenn Kaufman's  "Lives of American Birds," the segment on Great Horned 
>> Owl contains the following sentence:  "May take over newly built hawk 
>> nest."
>>
>> Seems like that is indeed what Bonnie Ott observed.
>>
>> A couple of years ago, a pair of Downy Woodpeckers spent three busy weeks 
>> excavating a cavity in a rotten limb of one of our backyard maple trees. 
>> As soon as they had finished, the hole was expropriated by Starlings. 
>> Easier than doing it yourself, I guess.
>>
>> Mike Bowen
>> Bethesda
>>
>> D.H. Michael Bowen
>> 8609 Ewing Drive
>> Bethesda, MD  20817
>> e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
>>
>>
>