Peoria family sharing home with great horned owl

PEORIA, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- A Peoria family is sharing their home with a great horned owl, and two new arrivals on the way.

Experts say owls don't build their own nests. Rather, they borrow them. In this case, a backyard plant pot will do very nicely.

"Last Sunday, the day before April Fool's Day, my 14-year-old found it after he was picking up for the dog," said Gwen Wilson.

What the 14-year-old found was the owl, making a nest out of a discarded flower pot.

"It scared him half to death," said Wilson. "He said he was just a few inches from it, and it opened up its wings. They have a pretty decent wingspan, and actually swooped at him and he screamed/ We heard him inside and came running out. Then, she flew away."

Wilson's husband went out and purchased a camera to keep an eye on mom, which her children has since named Betty.

"My husband went out and bought a Nest security camera to spy on her, and the kids love watching her," said Wilson.

In one of the photos taken, unhatched eggs can be seen.

"So right now, we have two, and they lay eggs according to some of the research we've done around every two to three days I believe, so we might have a third egg tonight," said Wilson.

And always watching from a rooftop nearby is the father. Wilson's kids named him Bruce Wayne.

"Because he has the horn-looking ears and he was always watching, so they thought Bruce Wayne was a good name," said Wilson.

The family dog isn't happy, as he's kept inside most of the time now, and Betty isn't fond of back yard cookouts either.

"We tried to barbeque the other night, he wasn't happy about it. He came over and scared us away from the barbeque. We were a little too close to Betty," said Wilson.

Wilson says Betty and Bruce Wayne get together for about a half hour every evening. but at least one of them is always close to the nest.

Betty The Owl
https://www.facebook.com/bettytheowl/