Owls Become More Visible As Nights Become Longer
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There's one positive about it getting dark so early.
It means more time to look for owls. WBBM's Nancy Harty reports.
The Cook County Forest Preserves said of the eight species native to Illinois, at least three live in this area.
Ryan DePauw, a naturalist at the River Trail Nature Center in Northbrook, said they are the Great Horned Owl, the Eastern Screech and the Barred Owl.
The promise of courtship will bring them out, he said, and fewer leaves on the trees means it's easier to see the nocturnal hunters.
Owls nest in holes in trees and leave pellets on the ground. Those are bits of fur, feathers and bones they can't digest.
The center has some injured owls on permanent display that they bring out for events like one on Sunday that was held from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., in which they talked about myths and folklore about the creatures.