On hatching the young are altricial (blind, naked and helpless) and utterly dependent on the adult female for warmth. The male brings prey into the nest and the female tears it into strips for the owlets.
By 3 weeks old the owlets are developing a warm white down. Owlets begin to make a hissing or ’snoring’ sound around third week, especially when an adult arrives with food.
During the 4th week, young are able to feed themselves from prey brought in and can maintain their own body warmth. The female leaves the nest to hunt and may roost elsewhere. Most feedin