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Live OwlCam

Update, May 8th 2008: Hedwig, the older of the two owlets, fledged this morning. No one saw him leave, and he may not return to the nest, but he has been spotted perching in a tree nearby. Errol will likely be gone in a day or two. Their mother, Maude, has been spotted watching over the nest from a tree over the nearby creek.

You are currently viewing the nest of our resident Great Horned Owls, “Harold” and “Maude”, located at NCAR in Boulder, Colorado. If you’re lucky, you’ll also get a glimpse of the two small owlets that have recently hatched. The images are live, and update every six seconds.

Other Updates

April 17th 2008: Harold and Maude are doing well. They were spotted in a neighborhood tree recently (photo at right courtesy of Lorena Kauffman). Harold has been vigilantly defending the territory against intruders. A great horned owl carcass was found nearby a couple of weeks ago — likely Harold's work. He can be seen circling periodically throughout the day. Hedwig probably hatched around March 25, and little Errol a few days later. This gives you an idea of how quickly they grow. Maude is careful to feed them both, so Errol is keeping up fine. We're told they'll fly about seven weeks from hatching. There's a good chance that Harold and Maude will return next year.

More about our Great Horned Owls

The bird is one of the most common owls in North America, found everywhere from tundra to desert to rainforest. Known for its prominent ear tufts, the owl’s wingspan measures about 40-57 inches (101-145 centimeters). They nest early, laying eggs in January or February through April. Both the male and female incubate eggs for 30-35 days.

Owls often take over a nest used by some other large bird, sometimes adding feathers to line the nest but usually not much more. This owl couple took over our ravens’ nest from last year around February 18, 2008. These owls have not been the only squatters of the nest. During the summer of 2007, we had a family of sparrows who lived within the sides of the large nest.

The ravens have not been pleased with their living situation – occasionally circling the area, trying to reoccupy their home. The two owls are unconcerned with the ravens’ menacing behavior,and fiercely defend their 'new' nest.

Brooding is almost continuous until the offspring are about 2 weeks old, after which it decreases. Young owls move onto nearby branches at 6 weeks and start to fly about a week later. All adult Great Horned Owls are permanent residents of their territories.

Visit often to follow the progression of the owlets!

We would like to thank photographers David Waltman, Lorena Kauffman and Carlye Calvin for the use of their photos.