This is a classic scene from last year’s Great Horned Owl live camera, and now you can see the female incubating her 2 egg clutch, plus view some video highlights. Similarly, the female Barred Owl is incubating her newly laid clutch of 2 eggs, although either of the owls could still add another egg to their clutch.

In many areas of the country, the first birds to begin nesting are owls, and true to form the first species incubating eggs on camera are a pair of Barred Owls in a familiar Indiana nest box, and a pair of Great Horned Owls at an Austin, Texas nest site. And you can monitor the activities of these classic owl species as they incubate now, and continue to check on their progress when nestlings hatch, are fed, grow, and eventually leave the nesting site. It’s a fun activity on your own, or shared with your family; and for teachers, any class of students will appreciate being introduced to this high-tech observation technique.

The Barred Owls are using an especially big nest box in Indiana, a famous nest box among birders that has attracted nesting pairs most years since 2003. Last year’s nesting pair raised 3 young owls to fledging on camera, and last Saturday birders were treated to their first look at the second egg, which was revealed when the female Barred Owl took an incubation break on the 24/7 live camera. If you missed it, highlights like that are provided as video clips for your viewing convenience at Barred Owls | Cornell Lab Bird Cams (allaboutbirds.org) There is also a second camera that shows the outside of the big nest box, which you can access by clicking on the green icon at the top-right side of the viewing screen.

Similarly, the female Great Horned Owl laid her second egg Sunday at her nest site within the grounds of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides the live bird cams and video highlights at Great Horned Owls | Cornell Lab Bird Cams (allaboutbirds.org) This Great Horned Owl nest site has been used for 15 years, and last year the pair raised 2 young owls to fledging, with every step of the nesting season on camera. In fact, you can see a video of last year’s nesting highlights at Great Horned Owl Cam 2024 Season Highlights | Cornell Lab Bird Cams (allaboutbirds.org)

Enjoy checking in to see how the owl nesting season is progressing in Indiana and Austin, and while the incubation season may be rather static, the action will increase after the nestlings hatch and grow quickly. The nesting season is an exciting time of the year, so enjoy the opportunity to have a front row seat to observe 2 different species of owls’ nesting activities anytime you wish.