Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Everyone's favorite Barred Owls returned for their 13th consecutive season on Bird Cams in 2026, and their breeding season gave us plenty of memorable moments. Watch a recap of this spring's highlights from the nest box located in the backyard of Wild Birds Unlimited Founder and CEO Jim Carpenter near Indianapolis, Indiana.
Follow the nesting pair as they raise two owlets, Artemis and Apollo, from tiny hatchlings into fledgling adventurers ready to explore the farthest reaches of their woodland territory.
Interested in learning more about owls? Sign up for our self-paced, online course "The Wonderful World of Owls" from the Cornell Lab's Bird Academy: https://hubs.la/Q012pdgP0
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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, this Barred Owl 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 was wrapped around the tree. An infrared illuminator in the box means you 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. 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 more about Barred Owls in our AllAboutBirds Species Guide at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/b....
#birdcams #live #owl #barredowl #nest #birds #wildlife #nature #nowplaying #indiana
Everyone's favorite Barred Owls returned for their 13th consecutive season on Bird Cams in 2026, and their breeding season gave us plenty of memorable moments. Watch a recap of this spring's highlights from the nest box located in the backyard of Wild Birds Unlimited Founder and CEO Jim Carpenter near Indianapolis, Indiana.
Follow the nesting pair as they raise two owlets, Artemis and Apollo, from tiny hatchlings into fledgling adventurers ready to explore the farthest reaches of their woodland territory.
Interested in learning more about owls? Sign up for our self-paced, online course "The Wonderful World of Owls" from the Cornell Lab's Bird Academy: https://hubs.la/Q012pdgP0
*******************************
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, this Barred Owl 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 was wrapped around the tree. An infrared illuminator in the box means you 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. 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 more about Barred Owls in our AllAboutBirds Species Guide at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/b....
#birdcams #live #owl #barredowl #nest #birds #wildlife #nature #nowplaying #indiana
