When barn owl mum Gylfie stops brooding her chicks Nutmeg & Thyme, the eldest owlet takes on the role of caring for her younger sibling - and in return he becomes her protector!
Barn owl chicks grow
This film follows the story of barn owlets Nutmeg & Thyme as they grow up in my Elm Stump nest and reveals a remarkable bond between these sibling owl chicks. Nutmeg becomes carer - by one month old, barn owls Gylfie & Finn begin to leave their alone in the nest, only visiting to feed them. The two chicks now huddle together for warmth, and then my cameras reveal something unusual - Nutmeg, the older owlet by three days, takes on the role of feeding her younger brother.
Helping to feed & groom Thyme
As the barn owl chicks grow and develop, the bond between the siblings grows stronger and my cameras capture endearing footage of Nutmeg grooming Thyme and trying to encourage him to join her as she discovers the entrance to the nest and sees the world outside.
And Thyme turns protector
Then one day when a pigeon ventures into the nest, their roles are reversed and the younger owlet, Thyme, spreads his wings out wide and screeches to protect his sister Nutmeg.
This extraordinary bond continues as the eldest Nutmeg learns to fly and then hops about the entrance to the nest trying to encourage her brother to join her.
