Riffle was found as a hatch year owlet in Bickmore in Clay County, WV, in the aftermath of the flooding in late June 2016. He had been hit by a vehicle on the road that runs along the Elk River. The impact broke his wrist. He was rescued by Kathy Moore and Linda McKinney who named him Riffle after the riffle in the River near where he was found. The broken wrist could not be repaired, but we were able to get it into a comfortable position for him. He is non-flighted. He will live to be at least 20–25 years old.
Barred Owls are common throughout all of WV, and are frequently heard at dusk giving the familiar "who cooks for you, who cooks for you-all" call. These owls tend to favor dense forests with large trees for nesting. Typically, Barred Owls are found in mature forests with a relatively open understory. An open understory in the forest is necessary so that they can perch on branches and be able to see and fly to catch their prey. The most important factor in selection of a breeding territory appears to be the amount of large trees, usually with trunk diameters larger than 20 inches. The Barred Owl can live in a variety of habitats. As long as the habitat contains an adequate amount of large trees for nesting, Barred Owls can live in urban areas, swamps, oak savannas, marshes, and forests located next to fields that provide prey animals. They are devoted parents, staying with their young from the time the chicks hatch out in April until late August and sometimes into early September. They primarily eat rodents and reptiles, some amphibians, and minnows, but they have also been seen successfully hunting opossums.
