Page 6 - 2018-04-01_National_Geographic_Kids

INCREDIBLE

ANIMAL FRIENDS

BY KITSON JAZYNKA

i
love my
beak-to-belly DOG LOVES OWL
rubs!
Cornwall, England
Before Bramble the owl takes to the sky for her daily
flight, Sophi the English springer spaniel clears her for
takeoff by licking the bird’s beak. “Since the owl was a
baby, Sophi has cleaned Bramble’s beak,” says Sharon
Bindon, the dog’s owner, who also runs a sanctuary for EURASIAN
birds of prey. “Bramble returns the favor and ‘beaks’ EAGLE OWL
the dog, as if he were grooming Sophi.” HEIGHT: 2 feet
The Eurasian eagle owl and spaniel became best WINGSPAN: 5 to 6 feet
friends when two-week-old Bramble arrived at Ancient RANGE: Northern Europe
Art Falconry. “Sophi sniffed and licked the chick,” Bindon
ENGLISH says. “Soon Bramble hopped down, toddled over to Sophi, through Asia, northern
SPRINGER and started following her everywhere.” Africa
SPANIEL For years, the two were practically inseparable, CLAIM TO FAME:
HEIGHT: 19 to 20 inches even though in the wild this friendship would never Aggressive and powerful,
Eurasian eagle owls are
tall at the shoulder exist. A wild owl would prey on small mammals such
as mice, rabbits, and even foxes, which are about one of the largest known
WEIGHT: 40 to 50 pounds species of owls.
Sophi’s size. “Sophi won’t go near most of our birds of
ORIGIN: Probably Spain, prey,” Bindon says. But who needs other friends when FUN TO KNOW: Male eagle
but the English came up you’ve got one that owls are slightly smaller
with the breed name. The will snuggle down than the females.
breed was brought to and nap with you
North America in 1913. in front of the
CLAIM TO FAME: Springer television?
spaniels were tradition-
ally bred as hunting dogs.
Their name comes from
the fact that they would
“spring” at birds to flush
them out of bushes.
FUN TO KNOW:
Springer spaniels are
sometimes called
“Velcro” dogs because
they’re so friendly and
stick to their owners.
Sophi

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Bramble

6 NAT GEO KIDS • APRIL 2018