Owl talk includes birding do’s and don’ts

Amateur birder Daniela Herrera led a conversation about owls on Nov. 5 at the Harley Clarke Mansion coach house. Herrera, of Chicago BIPOC Birders Group, gave a comprehensive overview of owls and their habitat, owls of Illinois and how to find these creatures of the night. Herrera came to birding during the pandemic. Her spark bird was the black-capped chickadee, which she discovered in the Montrose Bird Sanctuary. Her bird-watching pandemic project attracted mostly people from the BIPOC community, so they decided to call themselves the Chicago BIPOC Birding group. Herrera rounded out her presentation with the following guidelines: DO: Keep quiet when entering owl habitats. Keep your distance — if the owl is making eye contact with you — you re too close! Use binoculars or a scope to get a good view. Use nest boxes, native plants, and native trees to attract birds to your neighborhood. Use bird-safe windows and be mindful when driving. DON T: Play