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Archive 2021 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

AGeoJO
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

I have spent 4 afternoons/evenings at a burrow, where 5 burrowing owlets call it home. The parents are nowhere to be seen and the owlets seem to fend for themselves. After a while, I started recognizing the individual owlet and their behavior. Although I spent numerous times there in the last 5-6 years, but I didn't notice any bullying behavior back then.

The owlet that has some feather pattern that looks like a heart turns out to be a bully. I saw that several times, more than twice at each of my visit. Of course, I couldn't capture all the events but here are 4 images that show that behavior. I am not sure whether the recipient of the bullying act is the same owlet or not. It seems to be that way though. Basically, the bully jumps on the back or directly on the head of the seemingly weakling and starts pecking. At one occasion, the bully knocked the grunt over and stepped on its belly area. Fear was written on its face. And, no, it is not a sign of affection.

Thank you for stopping by and please feel free to leave any feedback,
Joshua


	© AGeoJO 2021


	© AGeoJO 2021


	© AGeoJO 2021

#3 Fear and disgust on the face of that grunt owlet


	© AGeoJO 2021

Jun 02, 2021 at 03:18 PM

shibutg
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Great series, Joshua. These definitely need adult supervision!

Jun 02, 2021 at 04:18 PM

gcooke0522
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Great set of some unique behavior. Well done.

Gordon

Jun 02, 2021 at 05:49 PM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

shibutg wrote:
Great series, Joshua. These definitely need adult supervision!
Thank you very much, Shibu! Adult supervision applies more to human though…

gcooke0522 wrote:
Great set of some unique behavior. Well done.

Gordon

Thank you very much, Gordon!

Jun 02, 2021 at 06:41 PM

riokid
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Nice capture and observation Joshua.

I think I saw the same thing last time I was there, and I thought they were "practicing" adult behavior

Thank you for sharing,

dan

Jun 02, 2021 at 08:22 PM

OSP2017
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Fantastic set, Joshua! Bullying is pretty normal between siblings and adults usually stay out of it from what I've seen with other species...

Jun 02, 2021 at 08:39 PM

louie champan
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Now that is some real ruff-housing between owls, great work Joshua you caught the action alright.

Jun 02, 2021 at 08:47 PM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

riokid wrote:
Nice capture and observation Joshua.

I think I saw the same thing last time I was there, and I thought they were "practicing" adult behavior

Thank you for sharing,

dan

Thank you very much, Dan! Next time you go out there, you will see the same owlet being the bully. That’s the one with the heart pattern feather on its left chest area. Yes, practicing adults behavior behaving badly

.

OSP2017 wrote:
Fantastic set, Joshua! Bullying is pretty normal between siblings and adults usually stay out of it from what I've seen with other species...

Thank you very much, OSP! Come to think of it, it is actually quite common among mammals…

louie champan wrote:
Now that is some real ruff-housing between owls, great work Joshua you caught the action alright.

Thank you very much, Louie! I just feel sorry for the grunt…

Jun 02, 2021 at 09:10 PM

kmunroe
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

nice job on the owls Joshua

Jun 03, 2021 at 02:32 AM

aae991
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Wonderful sequence Joshua. Maybe someday I can head out west again and join you on one of these expeditions. I need to find some owls here in the Midwest!

Jun 03, 2021 at 10:40 AM

bobbytan
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Not sure if this is bullying or just physical banter amongst the young owlets. Regardless, you've captured these image nicely!

Jun 03, 2021 at 10:53 AM

sum1sgrampa
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Great documentation and really fine photos Joshua. This type of behavior is pretty sad among birds and other wildlife. The strong get stronger in the struggle for food and the weak get weaker. Survival of the fittest, I guess ?

Jun 03, 2021 at 12:39 PM

amlsml
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Nice set Joshua!! TFS

Jun 03, 2021 at 05:01 PM

Dave_E
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Great captures Joshua. I love the behavioural side of most of your shoots, and the beautiful quality of the images.

Dave

Jun 03, 2021 at 07:43 PM

Pius Sullivan
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Excellent work on these, Joshua.

Pius

Jun 03, 2021 at 07:45 PM

dallvr
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Looks pretty rough on the designated victim. I guess that is where the term pecking order came from. Once in Africa I saw a starling beating up on another starling. I think the beater was trying to kill the other one.

Jun 03, 2021 at 08:34 PM

birdied
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Seems as if bullies are not unique to the human species ! I hope the little one gets a lick in on the bully

Wonderful set Joshua.

Birdie

Jun 04, 2021 at 10:41 PM

roadapple
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

Fantastic set Joshua ! The struggles of nature that make them stronger as adults.

Jun 04, 2021 at 11:43 PM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Bullying - apparently it happens also in the owl world at young age

kmunroe wrote:
nice job on the owls Joshua

Thank you very much, Kenny!

aae991 wrote:
Wonderful sequence Joshua. Maybe someday I can head out west again and join you on one of these expeditions. I need to find some owls here in the Midwest!

Thank you very much, Stuart! Please let me know if you are planning of heading out over here.

bobbytan wrote:
Not sure if this is bullying or just physical banter amongst the young owlets. Regardless, you've captured these image nicely!

Thank you very much, Bobby! Physical banter perpetrated by the same owlet, meaning...

but still I am not sure whether the victim is the same over and over again though.

sum1sgrampa wrote:
Great documentation and really fine photos Joshua. This type of behavior is pretty sad among birds and other wildlife. The strong get stronger in the struggle for food and the weak get weaker. Survival of the fittest, I guess ?

Thank you very much, Gary! You guessed it correctly, it is survival of the fittest! Although we, humans, see it differently but that's nature's way of selection.

amlsml wrote:
Nice set Joshua!! TFS

Thank you very much, Andy!

Dave_E wrote:
Great captures Joshua. I love the behavioural side of most of your shoots, and the beautiful quality of the images.

Dave

Thank you very much, Dave!

Pius Sullivan wrote:
Excellent work on these, Joshua.

Pius

Thank you very much, Pius!

dallvr wrote:
Looks pretty rough on the designated victim. I guess that is where the term pecking order came from. Once in Africa I saw a starling beating up on another starling. I think the beater was trying to kill the other one.

Yes, to our eyes it looks rough but that's the way the nature selection works, I guess. Thank you very much, Shirley!

birdied wrote:
Seems as if bullies are not unique to the human species ! I hope the little one gets a lick in on the bully

Wonderful set Joshua.

Birdie

Likely more common in the animal world. In the human world, we defend the victim... I appreciate your kind comment, Birdie!

roadapple wrote:
Fantastic set Joshua ! The struggles of nature that make them stronger as adults.

Thank you very much, Tom! Yes, you are correct, it is just we see the whole aspect using our human eyes and logic.

Jun 05, 2021 at 09:42 AM


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