'Hoo' Knows What You Will See on This Louisville Owl Nest Cam

Get a birds-eye view of these feathered friends!

Owls aren't always the easiest thing to spot in the wild, and it's even rarer to catch a glimpse of their nesting season rituals. But, now you can do both from the comfort of your home thanks to two owl cams!

The Louisville Open Space Division and Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute (CARRI) have partnered to research the Great Horned Owl mating season, and they both have live-feed cameras perched near nesting areas that you can watch. The cameras are the best way researchers can observe owl behavior without affecting the habitat and the birds' natural behaviors.

According to CARRI, Great Horned Owls frequently nest in whatever they find suitable. They will nest in an abandoned hawk, eagle, squirrel, crow, magpie, or raven nests. They will also nest in man-made structures, like the one featured on the cameras.

"This Great Horned owl nest has been in place since 2019, but this is the first year the adult owls seem to want to use it. There has been a pair of great horned owls in and near this box for several weeks," says the CARRI website.

Courtesy of the City of Louisville

Great Horned Owls, the largest and heaviest owl found in the U.S., are one of the earliest nesting birds in North American, beginning to build their nests in January. Females can lay as many as four eggs, with two or three owlets the average that hatch. They are year-round residents of Colorado.

"As of January 30, 2020, the nest locations are empty with no signs of incubation. Activity has become more frequent and with the pair visiting nest locations every couple of days. We anticipate nesting to occur within the next few weeks. It is still very early in the nesting season, and in 2019, incubation did not begin until February 13. So be patient and we will keep you posted when they become more active," says the City of Louisville.

You can watch the live feed of the nest and past clips in two places:

Let us know in the comments if the owls settle in and start laying eggs!