Nestlings wear thick white or light gray down. As much as two weeks may pass between the laying and hatching of the first and last eggs. Young hatched latest will die if the parents cannot find enough food in the area around the nest, as they can't compete with the larger, older nestlings. This natural check balances predator population with food supply and ensures that surviving fledglings are strong. During the day, most owls stay in hollow trees or dark, dense stands of vegetation.
Owls generally kill what's easiest to catch or find.
As with most predators, they are blamed for killing more game and poultry than they actually do. In reality, they are beneficial birds that prey on many pest species. All Pennsylvania owls are protected by the Game Law and federal regulations. It is sometimes called the monkey-faced owl. Both sexes have whitish or pale cinnamon underparts and buffy or rusty upper plumage.