An owl was sighted on a tree outside Linsly-Chittenden Hall this morning, Yale Herald ornithology correspondent Sam Bendenelli, BK ’13, reported. The bird has been identified as a Barred Owl (strix varia). The bird was identified by me.

According to “Birding West Campus,” a critically acclaimed blog about birding on West Campus, the last recorded Barred Owl sighting in the area took place on Dec. 2, 2009. According to another critically acclaimed website, the Barred Owl goes by a number of sweet nicknames, including Hoot Owl, Eight Hooter, Rain Owl, Wood Owl, and Striped Owl. No one knows which name he/she prefers, but I’m going with Eight Hooter because why not.

As shown in the image above, the “Linsly-Chittenden-Eight-Hooter” is clutching a freshly slain bird–brunch. The photographic collage offers a bit of cultural context: this owl takes its fashion cues from the biggest ballers in the game (from left: R. Kelly, Lady Gaga, and Rick Ross). Who wore it best? This race might just be too close to call.