Barred Owl - Should I worry?

[schatze]

About a month ago a barred owl swooped down and hit me with its wing. For about a week after that, it would sit in my highest trees and watch me for hours outside. The next week, it was obviously studying my routine with my chickens and ducks, and last week (after I started talking to the owl), it began coming closer and would watch over everyone, scare away the hawks that used to kill my birds as well as the raccoons, and it would go to sleep.

This week, it started watching me sleep by sitting on my windowsill and would be there looking in my window as I wake up every morning. Today, it started coming about 6ft away from me, after I'd put up everyone for the evening. It just hung out there on the fence as I talked to it.

Should I worry about this? Is it living off of field mice? Ever since the flood there has been a plethora of rats and mice around here. Is this the long con and it's getting all of us into a false sense of security? This owl is constantly here, in my backyard. I call it Celeste even though I have no idea if it's male or female. It answers to that name--I call it and it comes now, consistently. Even the chickens have a specific sound for Celeste since s/he's constantly here no matter what time of day or night.

Celeste could have easily taken any of my birds by now over the past month but hasn't. Does anyone have experience with this? Is this normal behavior?

 

[varidgerunner]

Hold up a letter in an envelope and see what happens. It's worth a shot.

 

[schatze]

Hold up a letter in an envelope and see what happens. It's worth a shot.

My friends who've been following my interactions with Celeste keep laughing about it and asking to see my invitation to Hogwarts.

This was from after I put up my birds this evening. The quality isn't very good since I used my phone instead of my real camera. She seems to prefer to be able to see my face since when I had my phone in front of it she moved her head to see it again.

Https://www.instagram.com/p/BZM_dmih-iu/

 

[gal5150]

She's absolutely stunning and, yes, I think your spirit animal has found you! I wouldn't get too complacent with your birds....but what a neat thing! Enjoy!

Edit to add: If you're in an area that a lot of flooding it wouldn't hurt to call any wildlife rehabs, rescues, etc to see if any lost an owl due to structure/enclosure damage...as she seems pretty acclimated to humans.

 

[schatze]

Edit to add: If you're in an area that a lot of flooding it wouldn't hurt to call any wildlife rehabs, rescues, etc to see if any lost an owl due to structure/enclosure damage...as she seems pretty acclimated to humans.

I'll call around, good suggestion. I seem to be the only one she's like this with. Everyone else who comes around, she'll either fly away or will go to a high, hidden branch. When it's just me she makes her presence very known.

She's always been very relaxed around me but tends to almost hate anyone else or doesn't even acknowledge them. Maybe I look like someone she knew? It did take her about two weeks and my asking her what she wanted before she started moving to the lowest branches, so trust wasn't instantaneous.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

I would guess that she or he may have been raised by humans and released or escaped and now finds something familiar about you.
That's really special!

 

[twilightgecko]

i grew up on an Indian Reserve and i can't stop being spiritual about this.. my mums totem [spirit guide] was an owl.. whenever i hear one at night, i like to think it's my mum coming around to say HI..

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I agree with NancyNurse. Part of the reason why people who hawk use leather jesses is that the bird of prey can usually pull them off eventually, and won't get trapped. If she was a 'domestic' bird that decided not to come back you could very well remind her of her former keeper. And she may have found a prime location with you and the chickens, since you can be sure there are rodents around.
I would still call around to make sure that she's not somebody who shouldn't have escaped, like somebody who was in care of humans due to an injury. This way, if she can't feed herself, her people can come get her and rescue her again.

 

[FrankHomestead]

That owl is absolutely gorgeous! Maybe she's a former loved one reincarnated? I know it's a stretch and a wild suggestion...but she watches over everything YOU do and only you...that is a bizarre phenomenon!

 

[Patinas]

What a unique experience with an owl! Doesn't strike me as normal owl behavior. We have barred owls here and they are super skittish of humans. Hardly ever see them, only hear them. Beautiful new friend!