It has been two years this August since Tig, our Great Horned Owl, joined the team at Sky Falconry. Though we have worked with owls in the past, he is the first official owl member of our family. He has undergone quiet the transformation and it has been amazing to witness
Owls, in general, have a reputation for being difficult to work with and often labeled as stubborn. Tig could have been considered both when he first arrived. Instead, we prefer to call him “highly evolved.” Owls have developed an incredible sense of hearing, having the ability to hear even the most subtle of sounds, thus getting easily overstimulated. They often react to overstimulation by either becoming aggressive or comatose, hence the labels of difficult and stubborn.
To prevent these reactions in Tig, we are very conscious to keep his daily environment as close to a natural state as possible. Our private, 40 acre ranch, nestled in Cleveland National Forest, offers a wide buffer from man-made sounds. He is also housed separate from our other raptors, well out of sight. Should tractor work or any mechanized device be operating on the property, we tuck him away in a quiet room in the house so as not to be disturbed. He also had a deep dislike for men when he arrived. It took Kirk over 6 months to simply pick him up off his perch.
In learning Tig’s triggers and arming ourselves with incredible patience, we have seen a massive change in his behavior. Where he was once grumpy and uncooperative, he has become a gentle and willing participant in our training sessions and experiences with the public. Where he once favored women, he will fly to anyone now, including young kiddos. His distaste for men seems to have vanished. In it’s place, he has developed quiet the bromance with Kirk. It has been amazing to see his transformation and get to know his particulars. He is truly a hoot and we are thrilled to have Tig as part of our family and the Sky Falconry team.