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Owls see hidden camera, hilariously assert their right to privacy
Owls are feisty animals regardless of their size, as shown in this video!
Cheryl Knight
08.21.19

A parliament is a group of lawmakers that sees to the welfare of its people who vote them into power. Unlike a real parliament, a group of owls, also called a parliament, is not something to be trifled with. A fact that the Hawk Conservatory Trust found out first hand when they tried to film the den of two owls.

In fact, the owls didn’t like the presence of the camera at all, as can be seen in the video below.

Setting up a camera

Farmer's Almanac
Source:
Farmer's Almanac

The conservatory group had set up the camera to try and learn more about the habits of two burrowing owls at the group’s facility in England. And while the owls were certainly small, they didn’t lack for feistiness when it came to defending their territory.

Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust
Source:
Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust

The day started out innocently enough. The camera was able to catch the owls coming in and out of their den which was dug into the ground. Soon, though, it became apparent to the owls that they were being watched. One owl darted out of the view of the camera while the other one emerged from the den and looked right at the camera, which obviously wasn’t too well hidden.

The camera is noticed.

Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust
Source:
Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust

The small owl watched the camera closely, trying to determine exactly what it was. Was it a predator of some sort, or was it something more mundane? The owl finally made a decision about what to do. Before you know it, this owl also ducked out of the camera’s view. But where had it gone?

Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust
Source:
Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust

Before too long, the owl that had run past the camera could be seen from the side. It looked like it was getting a closer look at the camera. Before you know it, the camera was upended, spinning through the air and landing on the ground. The only thing that could be seen from the camera was trees and the blue sky overhead where white clouds drifted lazily by.

The owls quickly caught on to the camera

Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust
Source:
Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust

According to staff at the conservancy, the camera went unnoticed for days, but eventually the small owls figured out they were being watched. And even though the camera wasn’t doing any harm, they couldn’t stand the idea of someone or something invading the territory around their den.

“My main goal was initially to secretly film them showing off natural behavior as a species that dig and build nests underground using their feet,” Tom Morath, a manager at the conservancy, told The Dodo.

More about owls

Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust
Source:
Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust

While many breeds of owls are considered apex predators, meaning they have no known natural predators of their own, burrowing owls do have some predators. Hawks, badgers, foxes, and other, larger owls are what they have to look out for. This means that the camera was no match for these two owls.

The territorial nature of the owls also contributed to the camera attack. Usually using the burrows of other animals as their den, the owls were probably on high alert for any predators that would normally invade the burrow of whatever animal the owls had repurposed their den from. One thing the organization did learn was that they needed to better hide their camera in the future to prevent further attacks.

The Hawk Conservancy Trust

Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust
Source:
Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust

The Hawk Conservancy Trust was founded in 1980 in Andover, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The group works to conserve birds of prey and their habitats. For more on the conservancy group, visit its Facebook page. Here is the video with the owls attacking and upending the camera in their attempt to protect their nest.

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Source: Facebook/Hawk Conservancy Trust

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