Molly & Mcgee - Red Barn Owl

Watch Molly and her hatching eggs:

The Owl Box

Homeschool families across the globe have opened their hearts and homes to a wonderful pair of Barn Owls named Molly & McGee of San Marcos, CA. This has been such a wonderful learning experience, books alone could never replace the opportunity to watch nature live and in color!


As of Sunday March, 21, one of Molly's eggs has hatched and the first little owlets name is "Max". We should see more eggs hatching in the days to come.


Carlos & Donna own the owl box located in their backyard in San Marcos, CA and is 15 feet off the ground. Molly appears to be a first time mom. The owl is about 14 inches tall. She laid her first egg on February 13th, 2010. We are expecting owlets around mid to late March. Incubation is 30 to 34 days. owlets  will hatch in order laid. Not all at one time like chickens.


The male has a white chest and face. He usually shows up after dark but  has spent an entire day with the female. We have named the female Molly and the male McGee. The Barn Owl is widespread but usually a scarce species. They are strictly nocturnal and rarely observed in flight during daylight hours.


The owl house is located on a 15 foot pole and there is a tree just outside the opening. The box has been up for two years and it took two years before the owls showed up. No other birds have tried to nest in the box. We have a very eco-friendly backyard; we live on an acre lot with lots of trees and plants for wildlife. We have had kestrels, bluebirds, hummingbirds, phoebes, wild ducks, killdeer and mockingbirds all nest and raise their young in our habitat. We do not have any cats or dogs to disturb the wildlife. This is our first owl to nest here.

Basin Info on Molly & McGee

Female: 13 to 16 inches tall. Wingspan 43 inches

Male: 12 to 15 inches tall. Wingspan 42 inches

Camera Information

Logitech Orbit AF

Agama V-1325 R

For outside photos of The Owl Box, Molly and McGree

http://www.theowlbox.blogspot.com

Check out the facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100 000803210356

Sign up for tweets and follow. www.twitter.com/mollyowl

For More Information on Barn Owls

http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/

Life Cycle Of Barn Owl http://tinyurl.com/yglwf60

Books

I'm Not Cute! - Jonathan Allen
Hoot Hoot! - Richard Powell
Little Owl - Piers Harper
Mrs. Owl and Mr. Pig - Jan Wahl
Owl Babies - Martin Waddell
The Sleepy Owl - Marcus Pfister
Whoo-oo Is It - Megn McDonald

More links to information on owls:

Barn Owl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Backyard Barn Owls--Facts
Wonderful Owl Poems

DLTK's Owl Crafts for Kids
Kindergarten Owl
Lesson Plan: Includes Circle Time, Owl Art ...

Mrs. Attaya's First Grade- Owls

Owls - Ten Facts
About Owls

Owl Preschool
Lesson Plan Printable Activities
Owl Pellet
Lesson Plans for Children
Owl Facts -
Dialogue for Kids (Idaho Public Television)
Owl Lapbook,
Raptors, Birds of Prey

Oregon Zoo – About owls
BARN  OWLS  at the Owlpages

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~au/owl.htm
All about Birds – BARN OWLS
National Geographic coloring
book page
More good things about owls:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Tyto_alba.html
http://www.lpzoo.org/factsheet.php?contentID=118