Many of you might know the story about a mated pair of tawny owls named Luna and Bomber and orphaned owl chicks. If not, let’s start with some background information. Tawny owls have a relatively short lifespan of three to five years in the wild. They mate for life and don’t start breeding until their second year, laying only one clutch of two to three eggs yearly.
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The timeline is crucial to understanding the importance of their story. During two years of laying, the pair lost both clutches of eggs. Luna’s age is unknown, but she and Bomber have lived well beyond the average lifespan. Robert E. Fuller had been monitoring the owls since before they mated. After the second clutch failed to hatch, Robert heard of two orphaned tawny owl chicks and tried an experiment. He placed the two live owlets in Luna and Bomber’s nest. What happened next was the pure magic of nature. Watch.
Luna clambered into the nest and took the owlets under her wing without hesitation. Luna and Bomber finally had babies to raise. Robert’s experiment was a success. Luna had owl chicks, and the two orphans had parents. The two adoptive parents raised the orphans and prepared them to leave the nest. Luna was an orphaned owlet adopted and raised by another owl, so foster parenting the two new owlets seemed natural.
But that isn’t the end of their story. Just as the two owl chicks began their flying lessons, Robert got three more owls of different ages found separately along the roadways. Luna’s nest didn’t stay empty for long because of the three new babies. They fledged pretty quickly, just in time for yet another orphan. If you’re counting, Luna and Bomber fostered six owlets in 2022!
Luna and Bomber Are Still Raising Owl Chicks
When the 2023 egg-laying season rolled around, Luna and Bomber prepped their nest for another try at hatching their own owl chicks. Luna laid a clutch of four eggs and diligently kept them warm and safe. The owl family suffered under intrusions from kestrels and relentless attacks on the nest by jackdaws.
Luna sat firm, protecting her eggs. Bomber worked hard to bring food to sustain Luna in the nest. The nest cam captured the entire sequence of events in March and April. In a 25-minute video, you can watch the progression from nest selection through laying and brooding to hatching. However, if you wish, you can skip the 19:40 mark for just the hatching.
Sadly, only two of Luna’s four eggs hatched. But that still isn’t the end of their story. The pair fostered another orphan with their two hatchlings. Luna and Bomber are the best bird parents ever! By subscribing to his social media, you can see more of Robert E. Fuller’s work with these amazing birds and other animals.
Robert is on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. His website features amazing wildlife artwork. Robert has also produced a YouTube video about Luna and Bomber and their foster parenting.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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