Ologies with Alie Ward Strigiformology (OWLS) Part 1 with R.J. Gutiérrez
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Nov 5, 2025 R.J. "Rocky" Gutiérrez, a celebrated professor emeritus and owl expert, takes listeners on a fascinating journey into the world of owls. He shares how his childhood sparked a lifelong passion for these mysterious birds. Discover why some owls have ear tufts, how they achieve silent flight, and the nuances of their hunting techniques. Rocky also explains the unique nesting habits of owls and dives into their social behaviors, like allopreening. Get ready to reimagine owls as the best birds!
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Childhood Rio Grande Owl Encounter
- Rocky first noticed owls as a child sitting alone by the Rio Grande Gorge at dusk and seeing a great horned owl pair.
- That moment linked his nighttime vision ability to owls and set him on a lifelong path studying them.
Spotted Owl Research Began With A Paper
- Rocky read an early paper on spotted owls and moved west to study them, starting long-term research with graduate students.
- His first grad student chose spotted owls, launching decades of spotted owl ecology work and controversy.
Why Owls Look So Big-Headed
- Owls' 'big round heads' are an illusion created by facial discs and tube-shaped eyes held by a scleral ring.
- Their fixed tubular eyes give about 70° binocular vision, improving depth perception for nocturnal hunting.
