Evening star., 1949-12-12
This and That
By Charles E. TraceweH
PARK.

Dear Sir:
What shall do about owls? There is a
big one, don't know which sort. I don't
care which sort. but I must do something
about him because he is eating my pigeons.
my pigeons are q sort Of legacy from the
| former resident in the house. He had boy
who raised pigeons. and when they left the
| pigeons remained behind. and still roost
on our roof.
Nov this owl Is eating one night. and
that is one a night too many for such
thief and robber. I have been unable to
catch sight Of him, except once. He was
very large. larger than thought owls could
grow. He swept past me in the twilight with
a pigeon. threw stick at him. and this
frightened him. He dropped the pigeon. and
picked it up and put 1t in the basement
overnight.
"The next morning. the pigeon was dead.
II this thief and robber owl keeps this up.
won't have any pigeons left.
please let me know what to do about owls.
Yours. S. K"
The best thing to do about owls is to let
them alone
This owl has found good source of food.
supply unlimited.
Can you blame him for sticking around
and feeding himself?
He may have q whole flock of young ones
to feed. too.
1t is very interesting to study the eating
! habits q owls.
They eat their prey bones and all, but like
to pick off the feathers first for which no one
in his right senses can blame them. Feathers
are pretty poor eating.
We passed q house the other day where
the sidewalk was strewn with leaves and
pigeon feathers.
An owl. undoubtedly. At least so the lady
of the house said, and she probably was
right.
The many feathers might have told of a
hawk. however. since they invariably pick
their prey clean before eating.
The owl, especially the larger owl. may
eat few feathers, too.
Feathers make little difference to him,
except to tickle his throat as they go down.
Once inside the digestive system Of the
owl. the meat is taken of by the wonders of
internal chemistry, and the feathers, bones
and griStle rolled together in a ball.
These rolls of unused material are found
by scientists beneath the owl nest.
BY studying the number Of them, and the
bones in each one. the scientists can tell
you. if you want to know. just how many
meals the owls ate, and what he had in each
meal Science. no less than nature. is wonder
full.
Thus one famous scientific owl ate 245
field mice, two common house MICE and so
on and on.
Prosaic souls may smile at such informa-
ton. Actually, it is good information. No
I one can say when information of any
nature may be needed by some one. With
| the way the world is going now, more sick
ness the more hospitals, more plant diseases,
| the more spraying. The odd bits Of informa-
tion, even Of the type that causes some per-
sons to laugh, may turn out to be just the
| thing needed.
Owls are wary birds, and because of this
may be driven away easily. Just get gun.
no ammunition needed, or take roll OF
newspapers or even rolled umbrella.
| Stand at the point Of no return, and wait
| for the owl to appear. Watch the dutter Of
the pigeons. They are restive creatures, and
| have no desire to furnish themselves as
| dinners to owls or hawks.
When the owl shows up. the shadow Of its
| wings often may be the first thing seen.
Move right out into the open. then. and
| raise the gun aloft.
This motion is all that is necessary. The
| wise old owl knows too well the thunder
| stick of mankind. He knows, and, being wise,
| profits Usually he will fly away at once
# he is unusually hungry. some sound
| effects may be necessary, but these are easily
| secured by suddenly slapping the thigh with
| the rolled newspaper.
The best way to treat an owl. however, Is
| to let it alone. Nature has been making owl
meet boy (pigeon) for centuries. A few
pigeons, more or less, In natures scheme. do
J not mean Is much as owls. evidently.