Athena Returns! Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Beloved Great Horned Owl Camera Goes Live for Season Three

Owl Cam Now Live as Cornell Lab of Ornithology Streams Nesting Season

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, March 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For the 16th consecutive year, Athena, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s much-loved great horned owl, has returned to her garden nest and laid an egg, marking the start of another captivating nesting season.

Through an ongoing partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, everyone can witness the wonder of nature as Athena nests on the live video stream.

Link: Athena the Great Horned Owl Live Cam Webpage

Athena has chosen a unique nest site, which sits high above the entrance to the Center’s Courtyard, inside a built-in planter and tucked beside a striking sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri) plant that offers natural shade and shelter.

When the eggs hatch and the owlets grow bold enough to peer over the rim, garden visitors are treated to the irresistible sight of fluffy youngsters stretching, wobbling and testing their wings, just feet away.

“Athena has become part of the spring experience at the Wildflower Center,” said Lee Clippard, Wildflower Center executive director. “What began as a remarkable wildlife moment has grown into a shared tradition. Through our partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, people around the world can experience this front-row seat to nature. It’s inspiring, it’s educational and it’s deeply moving.”

For viewers tuning in from afar, the experience is even more intimate. The live camera — mounted less than 10 feet from the nest — delivers an unprecedented, up-close look at Athena’s family life. Equipped with infrared technology, the stream captures it all: early-morning incubating, twilight feedings and the dramatic nighttime moments that define the secret life of these mostly nocturnal raptors.

“Birds spark a deep wonder, and they help us understand the living world and can ignite a lifelong passion for nature,” said Benjamin Walters, bird cams project leader at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Live streaming opens a window into wildlife behavior that few people would ever get to witness firsthand. This often inspires a deeper appreciation of the natural world.”

Athena has been steadfast, having raised successions of owlets in the same nest, season after season, with one exception where she abandoned her nest and eggs. Nature can be somewhat unpredictable, yet Athena has been remarkably consistent. Her loyalty to this garden home has made her something of a local legend, having been named Austin’s Official Owl Ambassador in 2025 by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson.

“It feels like the entire garden wakes up when Athena returns early spring,” said Dr. Sean Griffin, the Center’s science and conservation director. “The combination of blooming wildflowers and growing owlets creates this incredible sense of renewal. It’s one of the most magical times of the year at the Center.”

Follow Athena’s nesting season with the Wildflower Center on Instagram here.

The Cornell Lab hosts up to a dozen live Bird Cams positioned around the world – from New Zealand to Panama and throughout the United States. Live camera streaming for all locations can be accessed here.

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For press inquiries, contact Scott Simons, director of marketing and communications at the Wildflower Center.

About The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the State Botanic Garden & Arboretum of Texas and welcomes more than 276,000 guests annually to its 284 acres of gardens, trails and exhibitions, thus fulfilling its mission of inspiring the conservation of native plants. As a fully self-funded unit of The University of Texas at Austin, the Wildflower Center’s investments in science, conservation and education include a native seed bank, a comprehensive database of North American native plants, and research programs in collaboration with The University. The Center is the embodiment of Mrs. Johnson’s environmental legacy. “The environment is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest,” she said. “It is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”

About the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.

Scott Simons
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
ssimons@wildflower.org
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Athena gives a glimpse of her first egg!

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