Funky the Owl
Funky Facts
Once you meet Funky the Owl… you won’t forget him!
Garfunkel (Funky The Owl)
Funky Early Years
- Funky was born on May 15, 2019, in Syracuse, NY.
- He is a Eurasian Eagle Owl, one of the largest owl species in the world.
- Funky grew very fast – from the cute little fluff-ball shown here to full size in just16 weeks!
- One of the first things Funky learned was to go to his scale to weigh. He still does this twice a day.
- All of Funky’s training has been through Positive Reinforcement – meaning that he is rewarded for doing things we ask him to do. We ask by showing him cues, and if he does what we are hoping for he gets a reward.
How Big is Funky?
- His wingspan is more than six feet, and he weighs between 4 & 5 1/2 pounds depending on the time of year.
- On his lighter days, Funky weighs about as much as a 2-liter bottle of soda!
- His feet are extremely strong – with over 400 lbs of gripping pressure with each foot
Funky’s Eyes, Ears, and Feathers
- Funky’s eyes are built for excellent night vision with pupils that can almost be the full size of his eyes to allow in more light.
- He also has excellent hearing
- Funky can turn his head 3/4 of the way to the right and 3/4 of the way to the left.
- Eurasian owl eyes start out yellow, and slowly grow more red over time. Most end up a distinctive orange color.
- Owl feathers are especially quiet that are extremely soft, not great for long-distance flight, but totally silent when swooping in on prey.
Funky’s Talons
- Funky’s talons have a gripping strength of over 400 pounds per square inch.
- He has been trained to stand on his nail trimming station for trims.
- Owls like Funky are considered top-line predators.
Funky’s Training
Through positive reinforcement training Funky has learned a number of behaviors he will perform on cue.
- Funky is never punished or scolded. He is rewarded for doing natural behaviors when we “ask” him to do them. We ask by giving him a cue, like waving our fingers a certain way.
- Going to the scale, into his crate, from one perch to another or from a perch to a person’s glove.
- Funky can fly between people, being careful not to hit them.
- He can stop rolling grounders (baseballs) that are thrown his way.
- And, Funky can grab Frisbee toys out of the air with his talons, often jumping upside down to make the catch!
Sleep Time!
- Funky sleeps most of the day. He is most active in the early morning and dusk hours.
- This is called “crepuscular” – and is a common tendency of certain species of owls.
Funky’s Diet
- Funky eats mice, quail, chicken, rat, and a special diet for birds of prey called BOP. On a typical day, he will eat 110-150 grams of food – about the same as a bald eagle.
- Every day Funky will cast one or two large pellets. These are the things from his food that he could not digest, like hair and bones.
- Many middle school students dissect owl pellets to discover what food the owl was eating.
Funky’s Trainers
- Balinda and John are both Certified Professional Bird Trainers, and members of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators
- They also hold an Educational Holding Permit with Arizona Game and Fish and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Department
- Thus, they are prepared and able to hold a large raptor-like Funky!
Even though you saw Owls being handled by some of the actors in Harry Potter movies, they are not good pets! Owls are top-line predators, capable of injuring or killing animals many times their size and weight.
