A Visit From Gus Ben David
Gus Ben David with two young Eurasian eagle owl owlets.
Gus Ben David with two young Eurasian eagle owl owlets.
Not yet old enough to fly, but still curious about the world.
Not yet old enough to fly, but still curious about the world.
Island naturalist Gus Ben David stopped by the Gazette offices Monday morning with two guests in tow: Eurasian eagle-owlets.
The owlets, a brother and sister, are less than eight weeks old. They are the offspring of a breeding pair of eagle-owls that Mr. Ben David has at his farm. Mr. Ben Davis also had a female eagle-owl, Mohu, that he uses for education.
The owlets are being raised by Mr. Ben David and will eventually live off-Island. The youngsters eat rats and mice, and though small now, grow to be quite large: their mother has a wing span of nearly five feet.
The fluffly owlets were quiet visitors, nibbling gently on fingers and opening their beaks in a panting-type action that Mr. Ben David said regulated their body temperature.