The “Owl” Cove
The “Owl” Cove
Our Resident Barn Owls
Each year beginning in early February, The Garden becomes home to a family of resident Barn Owls. We’ve been fortunate to witness and document this fascinating part of nature many times over the years.
From the first tiny eggs to the moment young owlets take flight in June, our visitors and staff have had the privilege of watching these incredible birds grow and thrive. Along the way, we’ve kept a blog to share their story and even created a special “Baby Book” to celebrate each little owl.
You can enjoy a glimpse into their world through our featured video, Owl-bum, capturing the journey of our last Barn Owl family as they raised their young right here at The Garden.
We can’t wait to follow the adventure once again in 2026—and invite you to join us as we watch nature unfold!
Hoot & Holla’s History
You never know what
you’re gonna see at The Garden…
If you missed watching them grow up,
or you simply miss watching them,
this video is for you!
The story of Hoot & Holla
and their three owlets.
We hope they return this season. Stay Tuned!
hoot
The “Owl Cove”, as told by Holla.
Stayed tuned for updates!
holla
About Barn Owls:
Barn Owls live in open habitats across most of the lower 48 United States and extend into a few parts of southern Canada (as well as in much of the rest of the world). These include grasslands, deserts, marshes, agricultural fields, strips of forest, woodlots, ranchlands, brushy fields, and suburbs and cities. They fly slowly over open fields at night or dusk with slow wingbeats and a looping, buoyant flight. They use their impressive hearing, aided by their satellite-dish-shaped faces, to locate mice and other rodents in the grass, often in complete darkness.
Barn Owls are usually monogamous and mate for life, although there are some reports of males with more than one mate. After the pair forms, the male brings prey to the female (often more than she can consume), beginning about a month before she starts laying eggs. Barn Owls defend the area around their nests, but don’t defend their hunting sites; more than one pair may hunt on the same fields.
Barn Owls put their nests in holes in trees, cliff ledges and crevices, caves, burrows in river banks, and in many kinds of human structures, including barn lofts, church steeples, houses, nest boxes, haystacks, and even drive-in movie screens. Unlike most birds, owls may use their nest sites for roosting throughout the year. (Info courtesy of allaboutbirds.org).
