Birds are always looking for places to build nests where they can safely lay their eggs and raise their young, protected from the elements and hidden from potential predators. While the typical nesting place for most birds is high in a tree, it is not uncommon for them to occasionally take up residence on a windowsill or some other nook and cranny on our houses.
When this does happen, however, it is typically smaller birds, like robins or finches, who can fit nicely in these small spaces. You can imagine one man’s surprise, then, when massive owl chicks appeared on his windowsill.
Bubo Bubo Babies
Belgian man Jos Baart initially thought the noise coming from the outdoor planter on his third-story window were just pesky pigeons. Instead, it turned out to be a Eurasian Eagle Owl.
The owl, which is also now as the Bubo Bubo Bird, is Europe’s largest owl. Since “moving in”, she has now hatched three gigantic babies, who now spend their days peering through the window, watching TV with Baart. The babies have grown accustomed to his presence on the other side of the glass, but the mother prefers to keep her eye on her owl chicks from a distance, behind a shrub.
“She has a good view of the nest from there,” he explains. “She can stay there for six to eight hours at a stretch.” [1]
The chicks, according to Baart, seem very relaxed, and not scared of him at all, and while they appear to be very interested in the television over his shoulder, he is more interested in them.
“For me, it’s like watching a movie 24-7.”
Read: Motherly Hummingbird Builds a Home With A Roof to Protect her Chicks
The Eurasian Eagle Owl
This majestic bird can grow to be two to two-and-a-half feet in height, with a wingspan of five to six feet, and a weight of three to nine pounds [2].
They are found throughout Europe and Asia in diverse habitats that range from northern coniferous forests to grasslands and deserts. They typically eat small mammals, like rats and rabbits, however, their large size allows them to occasionally prey on much larger animals, like foxes or even young deer [3].
With no known predators and a lifespan of up to twenty years, the Eurasian Eagle Owl’s population is not under threat [3].
Read: Once Nearly Dead As The Dodo, California Condor Comeback Reaches 1,000 Chicks
See the Giant Chicks in Action
Jos Baart and his new house mates were featured on the Dutch nature show Vroege Vogels (Early Birds, in English), in which you can see the giant fluffy chicks standing in a row, peering at the TV through the window.You can watch this video below to see the owl chicks in action.
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