Umatilla burrowing owls get banded as part of a long-running research project

Umatilla burrowing owls get banded as part of a long-running research project

On the Umatilla Chemical Depot in Eastern Oregon, old juice barrels serve as homes for tiny burrowing owls. The former apple, peach and strawberry barrels have been refashioned and buried to create man-made nests and caverns for the birds.Late every spring, scientists peek inside to gauge the age and welfare of the burrowing owl chicks.Sometimes, they’re met with what sounds like a hissing rattlesnake.It’s a defense mechanism, said Janet Johnson…