From Bert Minor
This isn't a particularly great photo. Everything happened quickly, and I had little time to adjust the camera settings. I was taking photos of the Barred Owl on a tree and after a half hour or so it swooped down and right past me and landed on a tree thirty feet behind me.
I didn't know what was happening at first, but then I saw this squirrel on the tree and the Owl was going nuts chasing this poor guy round and round the trunk up and down the tree. It's not every day you get to witness an Owl on the prowl. They don't usually hunt during the day.
There was a happy ending for the squirrel. It managed to get away. Too bad I was flustered. I could have got an amazing, rare capture. Still--it was a thrill.
I really wouldn't have thought owls were agile enough to chase a squirrel around a tree.
It may be a little different than you are expecting.
Here is a Great Horned Owl going back and forth with a squirrel.
Here's a smaller Screech Owl doing some more hopping style chasing.
This is a hawk, but this is closest to behavior I've observed of the Cooper's Hawk in my neighborhood hunting birds in trees. The raptor is trying to predict what the prey is going to do and then end up at that spot at the same time, and the prey is trying to trick them, making an opportunity to leave.
Squirrels are also not always the innocent party. Squirrels will attack the owls and will also eat owl eggs and owl babies. This doesn't seem to happen as often as the other way around, but it does happen.
Awww that first one
I had to be 100% team squirrel until they said the owl needs a little more hunting practice :D what lovely caretakers
That guy really took it personal, slamming his stick in the ground! 😆
From all I've read and the few falconeering people on Lemmy here, it's a lot of work and dedication to take care of and train these birds. Owls especially. They've certainly got a real investment in its happiness and success.
Thought he was joining the hunt himself. Might have seen a squirrel on the ground.
Well, that's just lovely :)