Wild Birds' Barred Owl Cam On 'Hatch Watch' In Bucks County

BUCKINGHAM, PA — The "Barred Owl Cam" is back and Wild Birds Unlimited in Buckingham is on "hatch watch" with the expected arrival of two baby owlets any day now.

The first egg was laid on March 5 followed by the second on March 8 inside the Wild Birds nesting box.

“With a hatching window of 28 to 33 days, that means we could see fluffy owlets” appear as early as this week, said the folks at Wild Birds Unlimited in Buckingham.

The public is invited follow along live to witness one of nature’s most magical moments by clicking here.

The first recorded visit to the nest box occurred on February 4, and activity has steadily increased since then, according to Wild Birds Unlimited. The first egg of the season was laid on March 5 and the
second on March 8.

Barred Owls typically lay one egg every 2 to 3 days until the clutch is complete, with a typical total of 2–3 eggs per season.

“Keep an eye out as the male will provide food for the female while she remains in the nest,” said Wild Birds Unlimited.

“Stay tuned to witness these exciting food deliveries and follow the Barred Owl family through the incubation, hatching of the eggs and the heartwarming moments as the young owlets grow,” said Wild Birds.

Jim Carpenter, President and CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited, has hosted a camera-equipped owl box in his wooded backyard since 1999.

Set more than 30 feet high against the trunk of a pignut hickory tree, the box was first occupied in 2006. Since then, the box has hosted several nests, including successful attempts since 2013.

The camera system was updated in 2023 with a 1080p Axis P3265-LVE security camera and connected to Jim’s house via 200 feet of ethernet cable. To keep predators like raccoons from investigating the nest, aluminum flashing has been wrapped around the tree. An infrared illuminator in the box means the public can keep track of the owls’ comings and goings throughout the night (don’t worry - the light is invisible to the owls).

“Since the birds aren’t banded, we can’t tell whether this is the same pair as in past years,” said Wild Birds. “Although male and female Barred Owls look alike in their plumage, females can be up to a third bigger than males. You can also tell the difference between them by watching their behavior; only the female incubates the eggs and chicks, but the male is responsible for the bulk of the feeding, ferrying prey items to the incubating female, and sharing them with her inside and outside of the box.”

Learn about the history of the Owl Box here. Watch Owl Cam highlights from previous years here.