This killer, seen here hanging out in the rafters of one of my sheds, is a rescue from a demolition project. A friend saved it from a gang of workers who had already stomped 3 others to death and banged up this one fairly well too.
It seems that the transient workers here, mostly from poor rural areas in Mexico and further south, believe that an owl can give the Mal Ojo, or Evil Eye, and one way to make sure you don't get the curse is to stomp the crud out of the owl who looked at you! Other stories and myths about herps would amaze you....
Anyhow.. he or she perked up after a few days of care and now, four weeks and a hundred and twenty mice later, has been released. But even though the critter is by no means tame and almost certainly is snagging mice and toads and tarantulas from the shed and all around (I know from all the dumps it leaves on everything!), the danged thing hangs out in the shed and won't vamoose! Just peers down at me, occasionally clicks his beak or hisses.. and gives me the evil eye!!!
Now you have it too!! HaHaHaHaHa.. (evil laugh)..
Gus
It's a wonderful sound!!