Sure you still want that kitten? The adorable baby owl who LOVES to be petted

This irresistible baby owlet is practically purring with pleasure as her adoring owner spoils her rotten.

Though the final Harry Potter film has been and gone, our obsession with owls, fuelled by the loyal and intelligent pets used by Harry and his pals for their wizarding errands, continues unchecked.

Most of us are more likely to get a puppy for Christmas than an owl. But we can still fantasise.

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Too cute! Our obsession with owls, fuelled by the loyal and intelligent pets used by Harry and his wizarding pals, continues unchecked


And- unintentionally tapping into the passion for the curiously cute birds of prey-this incredible footage has clocked up nearly two million You Tube hits in two days.

The expression of bliss on the face of the adorable infant, as it gets a refreshing head rub from its unseen lady owl-keeper is pure magic.

Nearby the ominous presence of a stern 'jealous' adult owl builds suspense. And it's all, hilariously, set to music.

The star of the film is undoubtedly the Little Owl, named Molla, which means spring in Italian.


Pet love: Most of us are more likely to get a puppy for Christmas than an owl - but we can still fantasise


Bird in the hand: The star of the show is a Little Owl, named Molla, which means spring in Italian

Showdown: The footage was shot at 'i falconieri delle orobie', a medieval falconry event in the northern Italian municipality of Biassono, near Milan


Since the footage was shot at 'i falconieri delle Orobie', a medieval falconry event in the northern Italian municipality of Biassono, near Milan, a few days ago, little Molla has spawned a fan club and even has her own Facebook tribute page.

Last year India's environment minister warned that the craze for owl pets caused by Harry Potter mania was a threat to the country's 30 species.

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source:dailymail

Wildlife experts in a flap over baby Barn owl that should have been born in April

By Ted Thornhill


A new arrival at a Somerset wildlife centre has left staff baffled whether he has arrived six months late from the current years breeding cycle or six months too early from next year.

Either way the owl has been hatched way out of the norm for his species, but now has every chance of being successfully hand reared and released back into the wild in the New Year.

Barn owls normally produce chicks in April coinciding with an abundance of prey, which includes mice, voles and rats.

On a wing and a prayer: Staff at Secret World Animal Rescue Centre can't decide if this baby Barn owl has hatched early or late - either way, he's expected to survive

This chick will grow up surrounded with autumn colours rather than the more normal spring shoots.

The ball of white fluff was handed in to a vet's practice in Langport, Somerset, without any information as to the exact place it was found.

Staff at Secret World Animal Rescue Centre are appealing for more information on how and where the owlet was found to allay fears of any sibling chicks in need of rescue from the same nesting site.

Mystery: Staff at Secret World have no idea where the unnamed Barn owl came from

Pauline Kidner from the Rescue Centre said: ‘Owl chicks born as late as October are very rare.’

The young chick is yet to be named.

Barn owls are the most common variety of owl and can be found world-wide.

But, unlike a lot of other owls, they don’t emit a ‘hoot’, instead they screech – and hiss, to warn off predators.

Fully grown they stand 75cm tall and have a wingspan of around 110cm.

There are thought to be around 10,000 of the birds living in Britain.



source:dailymail

A pair of Great Grey Owls or Lapland Owls sit inside an open air cage

A pair of Great Grey Owls or Lapland Owls sit inside an open air cage at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, October 6, 2011.




Great Grey Owl or Lapland Owl swallows a quail inside an open air cage at Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk October 6, 2011.



Great Grey Owls or Lapland Owls sit inside an open air cage at Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk October 6, 2011.



A pair of Great Grey Owls or Lapland Owls sits inside an open air cage at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, October 6, 2011.


source: daylife
photo: Reuters pictures

Seeing red, the evil-eyed owl perched on a lamppost and ready to swoop

By Daily Mail Reporter


What a hoot: The owl was photographed sitting on top of a lamppost in South Africa but the reflection from the camera's flash caused the bird's eyes to appear bright red like lasers


At first glance, you would be forgiven for thinking that this owl was possessed.

But the laser-like stare of the bird is actually the reflection of a camera's flash.

An amateur photographer spotted the Cape Eagle Owl perched on a lamp-post while driving down a quiet road one early morning in South Africa.


Gavin Nicholls, who was born in Fareham, Hampshire, was eager to take snaps of the bird and so fired off a volley of flash photographs.

Gavin, 57, said: 'It was only once I'd arrived at work that I looked at the results. I thought: wow, the eyes are stunning!

'All my colleagues were over the moon with it.

'Normally in photography we try and avoid the red eye problems, but just for this one shot, I am so glad it happened as it did.'


source:dailymail

Birds of a feather: The 10 lost and abandoned owls forming a family at St Tiggywinkles animal hospital

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

The owls are enjoying life in the hospital's aviary and will be released back into the wildlife once fully grown


Some have been orphaned when their parents were killed, others may have fallen from their nests but now these ten tawny owls are a family at last.

Lined up in a row, they are pictured at St Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital which has carefully gathered up the birds over the last few weeks.

Unusually none of the orphans are related and they come from different locations around the centre in Buckinghamshire.


Ten orphan baby tawny owls are enjoying life as a family after being rescued over the last few weeks


They are currently being cared for in St Tiggywinkles' aviary but will be released back into the wild once they are fully grown.

St Tiggywinkles founder Les Stocker said: 'We usually get a few orphans in this time of year as it's nesting season but this year we seem to have slightly more baby tawny owls.

'Tawny owls are usually born in pairs so we normally rescue siblings. This is an unusual group as none are related and they've all come in from different areas.

They've actually formed a really nice family and all seem very happy together.'


Some of the birds had fallen from their nests or were found abandoned after their parents had been killed


The wildlife centre takes its name from the hedgehog character in Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and treats more than 10,000 animals every year.
It cares for them free of charge and every single one is released back into the wild when they are well enough to do so.

The centre relies on membership, donations and sponsorship to survive and receives no state funding or financial help from conservation groups.

The tawny owl, a widespread breeding species in England, Wales and Scotland, grows to about the size of a pigeon and has a ring of dark feathers surrounding its dark eyes.

They mainly live in established pairs and some will never leave their territories once they are settled. Young birds disperse from breeding grounds in the autumn.


source: dailymail