What shall we call the barn owl chicks?
Gylfie and Finn's two chicks are now almost a month old and are rapidly turning from tiny, wizened-looking creatures into adorable balls of fluff. Watching them on the livestreams , it's clear they are developing into great little characters and I would like to give them appropriate names.
Picking the perfect name
So, before you offer your suggestion, I've put together a brief a summary of these owlets' life story, from their origins, to their life experiences so far and their future roles - for instance did you know these chicks have a future as muses for my artwork?
Boys or girls? Large or small?
It's still too early to sex these chicks, so at the moment all we have to go on is the difference in size - and one is considerably bigger than the other. This is because barn owls hatch out at the same interval as they were laid, which in this case was three days. However, before you go for names like 'Little and Large', remember this size difference won't always be apparent. Read more about how barn owl chicks develop
Family background
To name the chicks it might be helpful to understand their background and the story behind these barn owl chicks is an endearing one. Their father, Finn, was an orphan who was successfully raised by foster owls here at Fotherdale. And he has turned into a very devoted dad. Watch this video to see how protective he is of his young family.
Tragic beginnings
To give these owlets a name that suits their personality, you may also want know that these owls are already survivors. In spite of their young age, they have experienced loss when the youngest of the clutch did not make it. Nature can be cruel, but its all about survival and already these two tiny chicks have learned the harsh way.
Inspiration for new paintings
Another factor to consider is how these young owlets are already living muses and may one day feature in one of my paintings. My nest cameras are essentially research tools that eventually inform my artwork. They provide me with a direct view into the secret behaviour of owls and help me create realistic paintings. Take a look at my collection of owl paintings here.
Worldwide stars
But perhaps one of the key things to consider about their emerging characters, is that these barn owl chicks are growing up under the spotlight of fame. Some 600k people from all over the world tune into my Facebook and YouTube livestreams every day to watch them gobble down their meals, snuggle up to their owl mum Gylfie, and even see them take their daily naps. So, perhaps a name that evokes owl prodigies would suit?
Watch livestream
If you need further inspiration and insight into these owlets' characters before you come up with the perfect names for them, you can watch them live inside their nest at Elm stump here:
LIVE FROM FOTHERDALE
