Now begins the posturing. The two owls move slowly towards each other on the branch they are occupying, bowing their heads, bodies in horizontal position, often spreading their wings, all the while engaging in continuous hoots and cries and screeches. Finally, when they are side by side, they will stroke each others feathers gently with their beaks. The number of eggs that are laid varies, with larger clutches in the western states. In the Midwest, three to four eggs are common.
Research indicates that the availability of prey has some bearing on the size of the clutch.
So in years when the rodent population is high, the female owl may lay a larger number of eggs. The female begins incubating the eggs with the first or second egg, and for the next five weeks, the devoted mother owl barely leaves the nest. The dedicated male patrols the area and brings her food, and both weather any storms doggedly, seemingly unphased by them. When the owl chicks hatch, they are nearly naked and helpless, growing a full covering of downy feathers within four days. In about a week their eyes open, and they start learning to fly in about three to five weeks.