Welcome To Jollyville

Jollyville is the home of Olivia and Alton, a pair of Eastern Screech Owls who raise their babies in a nest box with cameras.  They don't seem to mind, and we all enjoy watching!

Olivia At Home

Olivia lives in the nest box most of the year and raises her babies there.  She leaves the box when the last owlet fledges.  She and Alton continue to care for the owlets and the family spends the summer together.  During this time, Olivia and Alton teach the babies to fly and to hunt for themselves.

At the end of the summer, the new owlets move on to find their own territories.  Olivia returns home to her box and lives her life until it is time to lay eggs again and raise owlets in the spring.

Alton doesn't like to stay in the box and so we don't see him in the fall.  He will start to come by sometime in January or February.  He courts Olivia and then provides food for the family while Olivia is sitting on eggs and caring for babies. He has occasionally been chased into the box by harassing blue jays, but doesn't like staying there.

The owlets arrive in the spring. After eggs are laid there are 28 - 32 days until the hatch begins.  The owlets grow up fast and fledge in another 28 - 30 days.

See the directory at the top right for additional information and videos available for your enjoyment.