From Ojai Raptor Center
Many of you have asked about the sounds Juniper makes. These are not typical adult Great Horned Owl vocalizations.
Juniper is malimprinted, which means she did not grow up with her own species and instead imprinted on humans. She also fell from the nest as a very young nestling and sustained head trauma that has left her with a lasting brain injury. The sounds she makes are baby Great Horned Owl vocalizations, the kind young owlets use with their parents when they are hungry or being fed.
In rehabilitation, we work really hard to prevent imprinting and habituation. When we hear these sounds from a young owl in care, it can be a sign of imprinting or habituation to humans. Habituation can sometimes be reversed, but imprinting is permanent.
At the end of this video, you will hear a more typical adult Great Horned Owl vocalization for comparison.
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