# I found a baby Pterodactyl today!!!



## Michael (Feb 2, 2010)

While hunting quail today, my client feathered a bird that flew so far away I could only guess where it landed. While looking for it, we found this baby Pterodactyl. There was a nest 200' up in a huge pine tree that I'm guessing it fell from. You can tell how big this baby bird is by the 12 guage shell and water bottle included in the pic. I had no idea anything would be "nesting" this time of year, but our DNR Biologist said it was probably a great horned owl, or maybe a redtail


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## pine nut (Feb 2, 2010)

Wow that is unusual, and you deserve extra credit for spelling Pterodactyl!  LOL I couldn't resist!  Does seem early for this.  The sibbling probably pushed it out.


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## Michael (Feb 3, 2010)

Seems it is a baby great horned owl. I had no idea anything would be having babies in Jan/Feb!


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## bam_bam (Feb 3, 2010)

Neat find, thanks for posting. Nature is cruel sometimes, was it dead when you found it?


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## Canebrake (Feb 3, 2010)

Defenitely an owl!   Look at those feathered feet.  Red-tails have scaled yellow feet even in the fledgling stage and have some yellow in the beak as well!  

Cool find!  Great Horned Owls start breeding at the first of the year...I know I've heard them calling around Christmas before.  Even still...he was definitely an early bird!


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## JustUs4All (Feb 3, 2010)

Great picture.  

I think it is a Federal crime to posses one of those.   

You might want to mail your confession to the local Fish and Wildlife office and arrange for a date to surrender yourself.


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## bluemarlin (Feb 3, 2010)

^...lol


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## Michael (Feb 3, 2010)

bam_bam said:


> Neat find, thanks for posting. Nature is cruel sometimes, was it dead when you found it?



Yes, it was dead, but hadn't been dead long... there were only a couple of fire ants on it. It also appeared it's eyes had never opened. 

Yeap, pretty cool find


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## shawn mills (Feb 3, 2010)

Owl


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## Nicodemus (Feb 3, 2010)

Great Horned Owls nest this time of the year. I`m sure it`s not the same pair, but I`ve had them nest right here at the house every year, since we`ve been here.


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## dawg2 (Feb 3, 2010)

Owl.  Sometimes their sibling will shove the weaker one out of the nest.


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## Michael (Feb 4, 2010)

dawg2 said:


> Owl.  Sometimes their sibling will shove the weaker one out of the nest.



If this was the small one, I'd hate to see the big ones. This thing was the size of a small chicken and yet it looked to me like it wasn't even old enough to have opened it's eyes yet.


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## dawg2 (Feb 4, 2010)

Michael said:


> If this was the small one, I'd hate to see the big ones. This thing was the size of a small chicken and yet it looked to me like it wasn't even old enough to have opened it's eyes yet.



It is very common. Owls lay a clutch of eggs, over multiple days.  They hatch accordingly, so there will be some older and bigger in that hatch.  The older ones will push out the weaker ones who will compete for food.  They will also EAT their smaller sibling chicks.  They can be cannibalistic.  They do not play nice at all.  They are stone cold killers from the day they hatch.


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## mallardk (Feb 4, 2010)

Owl


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