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Choa Chu Kang HDB resident gets visit from sleepy barn owl
Just need that Hogwarts letter next.
December 02, 2024, 05:06 PM
A Choa Chu Kang resident didn't have to pay for a Harry Potter experience.
Instead, it came to him in the form of a barn owl sleeping outside his Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat window on Dec. 1.
Pictures and videos of the adorable sight were shared to the Nature Society Singapore Facebook group the next day.
Image from Et Al/Facebook.
"Very huat": Resident's parents
The resident, who wanted to be known as Derick, stays on a high floor at the Keat Hong Mirage HDB estate.
He told Mothership that he and his wife found the owl at around 3:30pm on Dec. 1.
They were taking out clothes from their washing machine at the balcony when they caught sight of its claws at the window.
They then lifted the curtain to see the barn owl sleeping there.
Image from Et Al/Facebook.
Derick theorised that as it was a hot and sunny day, the owl may have sought some shelter from the heat.
It was the first time they had seen a barn owl.
The owl spent most of the stay at Derick's window sleeping, though it would occasionally look at them when they came near.
GIF from Et Al/Facebook.
It subsequently flew away at around 7pm in the evening.
After they heard about the owl's surprise visit, Derick's parents told him that it was "very huat (lucky)", Derick said.
They also asked if it was sending him his Hogwarts letter.
More about barn owls
Barn owls have a distinctive white facial disk and pale underparts.
As nocturnal creatures, barn owls are silent predators of the night.
They are usually found roosting in the day, and actively gliding through the air in search of food at night.
They mostly feed on small mammals, mainly rodents.
Though uncommon in Singapore, the barn owl has made a number of appearances in recent years, often in urban areas.
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Top image from Et Al/Facebook
