From Blackland Prairie Raptor Center
This Fix 'em Friday, we highlight these baby barn owls that were brought to us and recently fledged. When threatened, barn owls lower their heads, spread their wings, and sway from side to side. This stance makes them appear larger and more intimidating to potential threats, and is called dusting. Barn owls also produce a sharp hissing sound that can serve as a warning to intruders, helping to establish their presence and deter potential threats. Together, these behaviors highlight the barn owl's unique adaptations for survival in the wild.
These young barn owls are perfectly displaying this behavior and letting us know they do not appreciate us coming into their enclosure to change their water.
Hah, yes, I can picture unsuspecting people thinking they're fake, and coming in close, only to be met with that ~~horrific~~ ~~ear shattering~~ special shriek of theirs! That would give them the scare of the night!
In the video, they are just doing the beak clicking.