'That is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time,' said one commenter on the viral footage of the majestic bird in Illinois.
:"My mom received a call from one of the neighbors telling her to look outside in the backyard at our pine tree. They had spotted the owl as it flew into the tree initially, but couldn't quite tell what it was carrying at first.
A picture of the great horned owl in Illinois who was captured flying through the air with a toy stick horse—delighting the internet with a silhouette that looked a lot like a witch on a broomstick."We quickly spotted the owl and could immediately recognize that it was carrying a stick horse." Why the bird has decided to befriend the inanimate object is unclear, but playing with objects is a behavior sometimes seen in other birds.
There are several reported cases of juvenile red-tailed hawks playing with inanimate objects like rocks and sticks, stalking them, dropping them, and pouncing in what is thought to be similar to hunting practice. Other viewers have also suggested that the owl may have been drawn to the stick horse because the head is a similar size and texture to a small rodent such as a rabbit—something that would be the perfect prey for the great horned owl.on October 14, where it has received thousands of reactions and comments. In the post, he wrote:"Hilldale/Forest Park/Ridge lane neighbors...