Barred Owl
You may have heard this owl without ever knowing its name.
Its famous call sounds like someone asking:
"Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?"
Once someone tells you that, you'll never unhear it.
Barred Owls spend their days quietly perched in mature forests around Ashby Lake. At dusk they become active, gliding silently between the trees in search of mice, frogs, and other small animals.
Unlike many birds, owl feathers have soft, comb-like edges that muffle the sound of flight. Their prey often never hears them coming.
A Barred Owl can turn its head about 270 degrees-not because its neck is magical, but because it has twice as many neck bones as we do.
Next time you're at the lake...
Head outside just after sunset.
Stand quietly for a few minutes.
If you hear someone asking, "Who cooks for you?"...
...you've just met one of Ashby Lake's most unforgettable residents.