Bird of the Week: Barking Owl
Headphones on. Volume all the way up.
I’m hearing that summer is now “over,” but that doesn’t seem quite right to me, as it’s supposed to be right around 90 degrees today in my neck of the woods in Los Angeles. I deeply hate this. I, like Crosbie, am not really a fan of summer, and really not a fan of 90 degree days. And while I do get a bit wistful in the aftermath of Labor Day, I mostly blame PTSD from my “back to school” days and the pervasive cultural consciousness around summer being our allotted time for fun. The New Year’s Eve of seasons. Summer sucks. Autumn is where I thrive.
In that spirit, today’s Bird of the Week is an exercise in wishful thinking. I’m hoping to conjure my beloved spooky season, and I don’t want to toot (or hoot) my own horn, but I think I really hit the jackpot with this one.
Today’s bird is loud, aggressive, creepy, and insanely adorable. That’s right, we’re talking about the barking owl. You better check this guy out because he is checking you out with every millimeter of those enormous pupils.
What a king!! The barking owl lives in the forests and woodlands of Australia, as well as parts of New Guinea and the Moluccas. There are other interesting facts about this predatory cutie but I’m not going to waste time with them because the main attraction here is the vocalization that earned the barking owl its name. Okay so imagine this guy…
…barking at you like a dang dog. Don’t believe me? Take a listen:
What!!! The iconic double hoot is what the barking owl is known for, but it goes even harder than that. This bird will hoot, growl, howl and even scream. The scream has been described by some as having human-like qualities, and that the intensity is akin to a person shrieking in pain. Cool!
As you can imagine, the calls of the barking owl made it an instant icon in the world of Australian myths. A creature of folklore called the bunyip supposedly made terrifying cries from swamps and rivers, which many now believe to be the work of the little brown hawk-owl with the heart-shaped face and yellow eyes. Other stories hypothesize that the barking owl got its “screaming woman” cries from mimicking an actual horrifying event. Anyway… woof woof.
I can’t move on from the barking owl without also giving these birds their due in the beauty contest. They are breathtaking!! And for as fearsome as their calls may be, they’re actually quite small and sweet. You simply must see them in motion:
This photo broke my brain. So little yet so goofy yet so fearsome! Pixar movie when?
Seriously, come on! This mix of cute and mad is such a good combo. This bird has some THOUGHTS to share, and you know what? I’m listening.
Do you have thoughts to share on good birds? Get in touch with your suggestions at hello@discourseblog.com. And remember, you can check out our complete Bird of the Week list here.